Secret of the Heart
by thesweetnessofdreams622
Summary: It was the Haruno clan's curse, a bloody curse that I was forced to live with until the day I died. I could never love anyone. If I dared to express it, my beloved would die before my own eyes. If only I could say how much I love you...Uchiha Sasuke...
1. Whispers of the Lonely Heart

**Author's Note: **Hello everyone! For those familiar with me, I am Sweetness, author of my very first fanfiction, _The Diaries of Haruno Sakura: my life!_ Now if you have not read it, I think you should! The stories have no relation to each other whatsoever, but, maybe you should read it to be familiar with my writing style. I think my style remains constant whenever I write, so I guess it's a good thing? I'm not sure. I am looking forward to meeting new fans who I hope will take part in the writing process of this story. I may update again this weekend, I'm not sure. I'm in the process of studying for AP exams, so we'll see. Also, I am not the original author of this story. That title goes to Unheard Symphony. She never finished, leaving me and many other readers wanting more. I decided to take matter into my own hands and complete it, with my own twists of course ;) Now let's read!

**Disclaimer: **I do NOT, repeat do NOT own the _Naruto _series. If I did, I'd slap Kishimoto, tell him what he's completely doing wrong with the plot, and replace it with aspects of this story, with two certain characters of course, hehe…

**Chapter 1: Whispers of the Lonely Heart**

Pain…

The word haunts me everyday.

I could never be free, only because my very existence could not allow me to do it. There are moments when I feel empty and alone. An outside spectator might look at me and think nothing is wrong, well, maybe if they forget to look deep into my emerald eyes.

My name is Haruno Sakura, a descendant of the ancient Haruno clan. Every time I walk outside and am forced to introduce myself, people react wildly. As if being a member of the Haruno clan is highly prestigious. I am the youngest and last member, of the Haruno clan. My grandmother and I have inherited all of my family's riches; yet, our way of living does not show it. We live normal lives just like the other villagers here in Konohagakure. It's actually nice, because we blend in perfectly well.

Although, if I could trade my life with _anyone, _even with the poorest of the poor, I would. Money has no importance in my life; I want someone to love me as much as I am able to love them. All Haruno clan members, since the day of their birth, are cursed. Even if someone may have fallen for us, we cannot say how much we love them. For if we do so, the beloved will die right before our own eyes.

It was nine years ago. At the age of ten, I came home besotted. Of course being that young and innocent never made me realize what was awaiting me as soon as I got home that day. Grandmother Chiyo noticed my face flushed and a red pigment rising in my cheeks as my temperament changed drastically from a usually quiet one, to the behavior of an adolescent. This feeling was something that I was too young to experience at the time.

She asked me everyday of that week to finish up chores around the house. I was always an obedient child, never spoiled.

"No", I remember distinctly saying.

Oba-san was furious. She scolded me, but I didn't care.

"Do it or you will face consequences", she said.

The next day after coming back home, Oba-san asked me again to tend to the garden. I was oblivious. Other thoughts clouded my mind. It was a strange feeling, yet, I _loved _every moment of it. Ignoring her, I walked to my room and shut the door to control my giddiness. Grandmother Chiyo stomped up the steps and pounded on my door.

"You will face _severe _consequences, Haruno Sakura. Get out here _immediately_".

I heard her walk back downstairs and decided to go outside so I could get a whiff of fresh air. It was summertime, and I wanted to meet up at the lake with my friends. After changing into a simple light green one-piece bathing suit, I proceeded to leave my room and head outside. There was a problem…

I couldn't leave my room…

She locked my door from the outside. Running to the other side of my room, I hoped to escape through the window. That was locked as well.

"Oba-san, please! Let me out! Let me out!"

There was laughter coming from outside my door. She didn't even bother responding and walked away. I was left like this for two whole days, without any breakfast, lunch, or dinner. It was scary for me since I was a helpless ten year old girl. Living for two straight days without anything to eat made me exhausted. All I could so was sleep in my bed into the next morning. My door cracked open, revealing a pair of beady gray eyes. Oba-san slid a tray with a plate of teriyaki chicken and rice and a cool glass of water on the wooden floor of my room.

"Eat this", she demanded, and left me again.

My instincts forced me to run in front of my door and eat like a wild animal. Food had never tasted better. I turned the knob, and thankfully, my door opened. I went outside for the next couple days and came back home with a dreamy look on my face. Grandmother Chiyo sat by the fireplace reading a book. She didn't bother asking me how my day went, she never did.

"Sakura, massage my back. Use this oil to do so", she ordered while throwing the bottle of baby oil at me. My thoughts and feelings shifted once again as the most perfect image in the world entered my mind. It was so consuming to the point where I just walked back upstairs without saying anything to her.

Before my foot landed on the first step, grandmother Chiyo forcefully turned me around and face her.

"You good-for-nothing brat, how _dare _you disobey me!"

She slapped my face as I pushed her away. The woman merely grabbed my wrist in response, and demanded that I bend down.

That was the worst thing I could have ever done…

Sheer pain from the contact of a whip caused me to scream in agony. I tried to escape and run for the doorway. Although old, she possessed the speed of a highly skilled shinobi. There was no way I could even _dream _to outrun her. She continued to whip me, and the more I screamed the more she enjoyed it. Blood, warm and fresh, flowed down my back. I stayed in the bent position for a while as she left me locked in the house. For two hours, I lay on the floor, completely traumatized. While bathing, I had to put up with the stinging in my back and fell asleep that night scared to death. There was a monster living in my house, and I was the victim.

The next day, I walked into the bathroom and checked the status of my back. Thankfully since I was young, it healed quickly. There was still an ounce of pain left every time I placed my hand on that area of my skin. Looking out the window made me forget about what happened yesterday. It was about time to enjoy the day. It was warm and sunny out!

I left the house and ran all throughout the village feeling free, independent, and secure. It was difficult enjoying childhood when you had an abusive grandmother, but the rest of the village was sort of like my family. They were all friendly and kind.

"Sakura-chaaaannnn!"

The voice that called my name made me feel as happy as ever. It was my good friend Yamanaka Ino. She had beautiful golden locks and eyes like the deep blue sea.

"Ino-chan!" I called.

We embraced each other into a warm hug, the safest I've ever felt in anyone's arms.

"Do you want to come with me to see my momma? She's picking out flowers over at the park!"

Without any hesitation, I nodded and Ino-chan grabbed my hand as we ran to our destination. It was beautiful. There literally were no words to describe this place, it was a floral paradise. There was greenery all around. Flowers of all colors, shapes, and sizes surrounded us. We found Yamanaka-san over by a cherry blossom tree, picking up cherry blossoms that had fallen on the ground.

"Kaa-san!" Ino waved to her mother.

She turned and smiled, "Hello Ino-chan, Sakura-chan!"

"Ohayo Yamanaka-san…" I greeted shyly.

Yamanaka-san wrapped me up into a tight hug.

"Are those cherry blossoms?" I questioned.

She nodded and placed one in my pink hair.

"Now you look like a complete cherry blossom, Saku-chan!" Yamanaka-san said, causing Ino to giggle.

It always felt weird to have pink hair, not something you see everyday. Grandmother Chiyo made me feel like I wasn't normal because of the way I looked. Yamanaka-san always assured me that I was one of the most beautiful girls she's ever seen and that my mother would have agreed wholeheartedly if she were still here. Ino's mom and my mom have been the best of friends since middle school, and they grew closer and closer over the years. That's why Yamanaka-san feels like a mother to me. It's not the same though, because every time I walk around the village, mothers and their young daughters hold hands and talk and laugh because they're having so much fun together. It makes me sad whenever I see it.

Yamanaka-san taught me that every flower has a meaning. She said there was a reason for why my mother named me Sakura, besides my pink hair. Cherry blossoms symbolize the transience of life. This ties in with the idea that all life is suffering and transitory. It is very noble to not get too attached to a particular outcome or not become emotional because it will all pass in time.

"Your mother believed that you would turn out to be an optimistic human being, and that if you god forbid endured _any _suffering, your strength, both physical and mental, would not allow you to fall into depths of despair. The life of the cherry blossom equates with the life cycle of human beings. Life is too short, and that's why we as humans view it as the most beautiful thing in the world compared to immortal beings such as the Gods."

Although I was only ten, I could understand exactly what she meant. It seems that Yamanaka-san planned a picnic for the three of us, and I enjoyed every moment of it. I was genuinely happy, and I could sense the amount of love and care around us. I felt as if I were a part of their family. It's true when they say time passes by so fast when you're having fun. It was getting close to sunset.

"Oh would you look at the time. Ladies, I think it's time that we get home. How about we walk you home Sakura?" Yamanaka-san offered.

I nodded, "No thank you Yamanaka-san. I actually had to pick up a few things for oba-san, so I need to do that and get home quick. I'm usually not out this late so she must be worried sick about me."

Ino-chan and her mother embraced me in a heartwarming hug. We walked our separate ways while waving good-bye to each other. While on my way to the marketplace, I noticed the multi-colored sky. Konoha was one of the most beautiful places on earth when the sun was about to set. After buying the items with the money grandmother gave me, I decided to sit on a bench enjoying the sunset a little longer.

It wasn't long until I noticed a young boy walking by himself. He possessed the most beautiful dark eyes I've ever seen, like I could almost drown into them. His hair, although styled into a weird duck-butt shape, suited him very well. This was the most beautiful image I've ever seen. The bright light from the sunset highlighted his features well, making him all the more attractive. He was definitely young, but he looked a bit older than me. Before I could continue admiring this boy from afar, loud screams could be heard in the distance. I watched him turn his head sharply and run in the other direction.

There were more than twenty girls from the looks of it. They screamed, "WE LOVE YOU UCHIHA SASUKE!"

Uchiha Sasuke, a thirteen year old boy, was one of the most handsome human beings I've ever laid eyes on. Many of these girls were around his age; there was no way he'd bother giving a ten year old girl the time of day. All I could do was smile until someone yanked my ear and pulled me to the trees behind the bench.

"So _this _is how you've been spending your free time? Following some _boy_?"

Grandmother Chiyo gave me no opportunity to respond. She continued to grip onto my ear, which hurt a lot, while dragging me home. Oba-san pushed me as I crashed against the wall.

"_You _disobey me! How dare you, you filthy wretch! This stupid _boy _is the reason for why you've neglected your duties to this household, and more importantly, to _me!_ "

She slapped my face.

"I don't need to explain this to you again, Sakura. You know what happened to your parents, the night of their anniversary. You were just a baby then. It had to slip through your mother's mouth. She killed my son with those three accursed words. I had hoped that this arranged marriage would only hope to produce a child, and nothing else. As time passed, they fell for each other. I was afraid of this…she knew very well that expressing love was forbidden...but the selfish woman couldn't help herself. She said it and killed my son, damn it!"

It was hard; I was a young kid after all. Was it my fault to fall for someone even though there was this dreaded curse controlling my family?

Oba-san continued her lecture, "I am going to say this once more, and you better remember this clearly forever. Never fall in love Haruno Sakura, because love is pain. Stay away from men. You will live forever in despair and agony. Love will only bring you hardship. Whatever feelings you have for this boy, you let them go. You will now continue your schooling at home with a private tutor. You will not have contact with the outside world. If by chance you do, I will accompany you. Your duty now, and forever, will be to serve me…the last elder of the Haruno clan. Do you understand all of this?"

I could only nod. This was a lot to take in for my ten-year old self. How could anyone live a life without love? That's impossible. Replaying Oba-san's spiel made me remember that it is important for me to follow what she says, for my benefit.

The next morning, grandmother Chiyo required me to go into the village and fetch more household supplies. She would have gone with me, but she said she had to speak with the village elders regarding something important. After buying the supplies, I carried the big brown bag all the way back home. That was until something hit my shoulder, causing me to drop the bag.

"_Ouch!" _I thought to myself.

There were a large group of girls following Sasuke. He looked irritated with them as they shouted the words, "I LOVE YOU!"

"_Oh…how __easily they can say it, but I can't. I wouldn't ever get to say it, because of this stupid curse!" _I thought bitterly.

And for the next few years, even now as my nineteen-year old self, I remained alone and heartbroken.

"_I'll never get to say it…_

_Never get to say…_

_How much…_

_I_ _Love you…_

…_Uchiha Sasuke…"_

**Author's Note: **Well that was the first chappie of this new story! Hope you all liked it! I would appreciate reviews, please! To all my future readers and reviewers: You all rock! Definitely let me know what you really thought of this first chapter. Is there anything you'd like more of? Or you want me to improve? Well this is only the first chapter; there will be plenty more, I promise! I will probably update next weekend. Or maybe tomorrow if I get the chance. I have start studying for those AP's.

Tootles!

~Sweetness


	2. Curiosity Killed the Blossom

**Author's Note: **Hello again! So I reread my first chapter a couple times, and I don't know about you guys, but I liked it! I thought it was a good start to sort of hook the reader in! So besides just me writing the story, I'd definitely like you guys to message me so we can talk about any common interests! I'm always open to getting to know my fans! Well anyway…story time!

**Chapter 2: Curiosity Killed the Blossom**

"I am leaving for Amegakure to see an old friend. Stay here and watch the house." Grandmother Chiyo said.

"How long will you be gone?" I asked her.

"Four days…and for these next four days, you will stay in the house and only go out if necessary."

And with that, she slammed the front door shut. Although I was now nineteen, I felt as helpless as my ten year old self. Oba-san never taught me independence. I asked for her permission concerning every aspect of my life. It was a beautiful summer morning and I was _dying_ to go outside.

"_Should I go outside without oba-san knowing?"_

I decided to wait for twenty minutes until she was completely out of the village. It's been a month and a half since I've been outside this prison…it doesn't deserve the title of a home. Staying confined in one space for a long period of time has a tendency to drive a person crazy, and I was growing almost hysterical. Oba-san noticed my weird behavior change and called for a doctor to come in and check on me.

A couple weeks ago the doctor, Shizune-san, came to observe my condition. She told oba-san to allow me to go outside and get some fresh air. Being cooped up in here will only deteriorate my health. I was starting to feel miserable. Without any hesitation, I opened the door and took in the breeze blowing in my direction.

"_This feels so good…"_

The radiant sunlight hit my back, allowing me to exude more confidence. I literally _skipped _throughout the village. People stared, but I didn't care. It felt nice to listen to noise and the bustling of busy streets. I didn't feel alone anymore, because there was this warm community of people living right outside my doorway. The delicious smell of ramen enticed me to head over to the Ichiraku Ramen Noodle Shop. It's been ages since I've been there. The last time I went was probably three months ago. Grandmother Chiyo hates ramen. She calls it garbage, and if Naruto heard that, let's just say he would have reacted much differently.

Speaking of Konohagakure's one and only Uzumaki Naruto, there he was chowing down on a bowl of ramen. I greeted him and ordered a bowl of beef ramen of my own.

"It's nice to see ya, Sakura-chan! We hardly see each other! What, it's been like three or four months? What are you even _doing_ these days? What's making you so busy?" he asked me.

There was no way I'd tell Naruto the real reason, that my own grandmother didn't want me walking outside just to avoid people of his own gender so I wouldn't somehow fall in love and cause that person to die right before me. I'm not stupid; I'll _never _fall in love.

"I'm a homebody" I merely stated.

He stared at me wide-eyed, "You were never like this in elementary school! Back then, you were so hyper and outgoing."

"Like you?" I retorted.

Naruto chuckled, "Yeah…like me…but seriously, I've never even _met _granny Chiyo. I've never been inside your house. You never invite anyone over Sakura-chan. Not to be rude or anything, but, you've been invited to tons of parties…you should at least be courteous enough to invite them back!"

And Uzumaki Naruto was trying to teach _me _about manners? I beg to differ.

"_If only he could understand…if only someone out there could understand me…"_

"You're right Naruto….but it's just…grandmother Chiyo is severely sick. She suffers from chronic health problems and I have to stay all day at home so I can take care of her. She's my grandmother; she needs constant attention 24/7."

Of course that was all a lie…I hated lying…and it made me feel so guilty telling Naruto all of this. Changing the subject, I told him that oba-san would be away for four days.

"Really? Now all of us can spend tons of time together! Sakura-chan this would be great! We've been dying to see you! It hasn't been the same without you. The gatherings are fun but it's like…there's a loss of life. Whenever you're there, I feel at ease and there's this sudden brightness of the occasion"

It warmed my heart to hear Naruto say that. He's been a true friend all these years. I really wish we could have spent the time, helping our relationship to grow. I've known Naruto for a long time, and he's always been open about his life. He's able to trust people and feel comfortable around them, even though his life has been nothing but tragic, and that's something I admire about him.

"Thank you Naruto. We'll discuss this another time. I'll come by your place tomorrow and we can make plans, okay?"

He nodded and wrapped me into a big bear hug. He felt so much like a brother to me, and I plan to stay his friend for the rest of my life even if oba-san restricts me.

I waved good-bye and walked around the entire village. Konoha was a big place I'll add. Being stuck inside a house made me want to stay out here longer. I ventured out into the forest, hoping to find delicious berries.

"_Oh…maybe I can bake a berry pie. That would be great!"_

Pushing through the tall grasses and avoiding getting hit by the tree branches was irritating but fun at the same time. I felt like a young child going on an adventure. It was nice to do this since I didn't have much of a childhood anyway. Thankfully the forest wasn't dark; the sunlight coming through the tree canopies lit my way around the area.

I spotted a bush full of mouth-watering berries. They looked scrumptious, and I wasted no time collecting as many as I could in my straw basket. These were not poisonous, so I proceeded to try a couple. My taste buds were sent straight to heaven.

A deafening sound was heard in the distance. It sounded like something was being cut up into pieces, as if someone was chopping wood. Whoever was doing it, grunted loudly.

"_Whoever this person is, isn't just a normal lumberjack."_

My curiosity got the better of me as I walked towards the sound. Finally, I peeked from behind a tree and found a young man slashing trees with a katana. It was amazing; one sword had the power to chop a tall tree in half. All I could do was stare at the man, his abilities amazed me.

"Whose there?" He called without turning his face.

I turned my body away from the scene and laid my back against the tree bark while covering my mouth, hoping he would think it was all in his head and continue on with what he was doing.

"I know you're there, reveal yourself at once. That's an order" He said again.

"_Shoot! He caught me! How? I was as quiet as a mouse!"_

I shyly stepped out of my hiding spot and came into full open view for him to see me. This time, his face turned towards my direction so I could see his face clearly.

"_Beautiful…"_

My thoughts were exactly right. This beautiful stranger had enticing onyx eyes, raven hair, and…wait a minute….

"_I've seen him before!"_

His body language answered my question. He crossed his arms, and shut his deep dark eyes without a care in the world.

"_Uchiha Sasuke…"_

"S-Sasuk-ke?" that was all I could utter out of my mouth. After all, I didn't expect to run into him. I hadn't seen him for three or four years, and that amount of time can do a lot to a person. He looked even more exquisite than the way I saw him as a teenager through my ten-year old eyes. For all the amount of time I spent locked up in my house with oba-san, he was all I thought about. Every night, I'd cry myself to sleep. He visited me in my dreams. We talked about life. He was my everything. I longed to see him again. I prayed for him everyday while experiencing both the bad and the good. My strong and intense feelings resurfaced once I laid eyes on him again.

"What do you want? And just who are you?"

These words pained my heart. I could understand completely where he was coming from though. After all these years I've watched him, we never made contact whatsoever. He had no idea of my existence.

Although…I _do _remember a time when he spoke to me…like he acknowledged me for that one measly second! I was twelve years old, in my awkward stage. This was when I had no idea how to dress and groom myself properly. My hair was a frizzy mess, and I wore the geekiest glasses anyone had ever seen. People laughed every time they saw me. It didn't help that grandmother scolded me for looking the way I did; I mean I couldn't help it! I was _twelve _for god's sake! Anyway, at that time, Sasuke was fifteen. He still looked like a god even as a teenager. He had already developed his muscles from training and working out so much. His hair grew longer, making him look even more handsome.

So I was in this long line to sign up for an important event in the village. Everyone was required to participate and that day was the deadline to sign up. Sasuke happened to be right in front of me and I was blushing madly but tried my best to keep my cool. Girls behind me whispered things like, "Why does _she _get to be close to Sasuke-kun!" and, "Ew, Sasuke-kun would _never _fall for an ugly troll like _that_."

Yeah, it was all really mean stuff they'd say about me.

I remember Sasuke-kun distinctly pulling out a pen from his pocket. He signed his name in one of the blank spaces, but there was no more ink left. He turned around to face me.

"Can I borrow your pen?" He asked plainly.

I followed his gaze to the black pen in my right hand, "Sure" I said, too afraid to make any eye contact with him.

He scribbled his name down and gave it back to me.

"Thanks", he said and walked away.

"_That was the first word he's ever said to me"_

I know, it's completely lame and pathetic that I remember such an insignificant moment. I felt like such a typical fan girl. Then, I remembered Oba-chan's words from long ago. It allowed me to overcome these overbearingly girlish thoughts out of my head. To answer his question, I casually introduced myself.

"Haruno Sakura."

He narrowed his eyes, "You didn't come here just to follow me did you?"

I nodded my head profusely. Before I could utter a word or two out of my mouth, he cut me off, "A young _female_ like _you_ shouldn't be in a dark forest at the edge of civilization all by yourself."

"_Oh my god…is he TRYING to scare me? Because it's working!"_

"L-Like w-what?" I stuttered, pulling a Hyuuga Hinata move.

He smirked, as if freaking me out was a form of entertainment, "Bad things…things that could endanger you…"

I wanted to scream…what if I was going to die? What if Sasuke planned to kill me? Or worse….

…Rape…

"_Oh noooooo! He can't do that! I should've just listened to grandmother! How stupid was I to just venture out here in a forest I've never been to before!"_

My thoughts escapedmy lips, causing Sasuke to hear everything I said.

"Grandmother's gonna kill me! I don't wanna get raped! Oh my goodn-"

"What are you? Five? You don't need anybody's approval for anything, and, if you had only heard my _sarcastic _remarks earlier, you would've saved yourself from embarrassment."

"_So…he was kidding around with me?"_

Placing my hands on my hips, I proceeded to show him that I wasn't some child, "FYI Uchiha Sasuke, I am _nineteen years old_. My grandmother means a lot to me. She's the only family I have left and I know what she says can be overbearing at times but…she does it all for my benefit."

Sasuke rolled his eyes, "Tch…I've known you for only thirteen minutes and I dislike you already."

"That makes two of us, and, just because you come from the Uchiha clan doesn't mean you're so high and mighty. I used to think you were one of the greatest human beings that ever walked this Earth. Now I see I was wrong, and grandmother was right, love is pointless and stupid. All those girls that follow you around like dogs need to realize that you're not worth their time and energy. If only they could see what you were _really _like" I said back to him.

He scratched his head while averting his gaze to the lush green grass beneath him, "_Haruno_…ah…"

"What?" I asked, irritated with his arrogance.

Sasuke lifted his head to meet my eyes, "You're of the _Haruno_ clan, aren't you?"

I nodded, curious of what he had to say.

"Petty people you are…"

I was taken aback, "E-Excuse me! How _dare_ you insult my fam—"

He talked over me, "Your good-for-nothing clan sat on their asses all day, letting other people serve them."

My fists clenched, "They were _royalty_ and, to let ignorant people like _you_ know, The Haruno's were once a royal family. We ruled the land of fire and made the _laws_. That takes a lot more work then just sitting on our behinds all day long! We provided peace and prosperity for everyone. We wanted to spread love and joy to wherever we could. Our aim was to move the world closer to a utopia, so there would be no _need _for violence and conflict! _We _Haruno's wanted to make positive change unlike you war-mongering Uchiha's. That's all you lived for, you loved to kill and take people's lives didn't you? Grandmother was so right, and I can sense that killer instinct inside of you."

Sasuke furrowed his brows, "Shut up you sheltered brat. My clan fought to _protect_. Your grandmother doesn't know a damn thing. Did she _fail _to tell you what she did to my grandfather! That wasn't the first incident. Each generation of Haruno clan members _killed _innocent civilians. Did your grandmother ever mention _that_? Your ignorance disgusts me, well; I guess it runs in the family. You Haruno's are ignorant people. I hope this newly acquired knowledge has brought you into reality. Now you can see what a truly _cursed _clan you are."

Tears flowed from my eyes as I turned away, refusing to accept Sasuke's side of the story, "N-No…y-you're wrong!"

He smirked that devilish smirk I _hated _so much, "You come from a dysfunctional clan…a clan that committed mass genocide. Whereas most of us Uchiha's were killed off in battle, putting our honor on the line. You, Haruno Sakura, are cursed until the day you die. Enjoy life while you can."

I was confused and lonelier than ever before. When I had hoped for life to get better, things became worse. The man I"loved" for so many years hated me and my family. How could grandmother fail to tell me any of this? I served her all these years; I could've deserved just _that_!

What would become of my life? Was it really worth living?

My crying continued on and on. Unrolling my sleeves, I stared into the palms of my hands, ashamed of myself. I forgot that Sasuke was right across from me, and when I realized it, I immediately covered my arms covered with bruises from grandmother's abuse a couple days ago.

"What's on your arms?" Sasuke asked suspiciously.

"W-Why do you care? Go away! I'm weak…m-my emotions…they get in the way…"

He stared at me wide-eyed, as if possibly recalling something from his past.

"W-Wait!" Sasuke called.

I ignored him and ran as far as I could, trying to find my way back home. My unstable emotional state wouldn't let me navigate properly, and I tripped and crashed into trees. This eventually caused me to fall into a pile of leaves and remember grandmother's words a few days before:

"You're a failure…"

"_That's right…I'm a failure…"_

And with that, my eyes shut, placing me into a state of temporary paradise and happiness.

**Author's Note: **That was chapter 2, everyone! I will be updating next weekend. I hope you enjoyed this chappie, as you could all tell from reading; it was FILLED with drama and angst. It actually made me sad writing it, but, it's part of the story. Well, I'm gonna go back to studying now. Message me with any questions you have. Also, if you have any suggestions as to what you would like to see in this story, please let me know! As I said before, I'm totally open to other ideas. Well you all take care, and another chapter will be posted next weekend. ALSO, don't forget to REVIEW please! I haven't had any of those! Pretty please with a cherry on top?

I love you all!

Thanks so much for reading and hopefully REVIEWING!

~Sweetness


	3. Bad Luck Yet Good Fortune

**Author's Note:**Hey Everyone! How's it going? So it's the start of my school week and it's been alright so far. How is everything with you all? Message me and let me know if anything interesting is happening in your lives, because there sure isn't anything great going on in mine. Most likely other than the fact that since I'm a senior, I leave school in about eight days! Thank God! I'm so done with high school, but, I'm certainly not done with this fanfic! Here we go, enjoy!

**Disclaimer:**I do NOT own _Naruto_. If I did, I wouldn't be stating this disclaimer would I? hehe.

**Chapter 3: Bad Luck Yet Good Fortune**

"_**I love you…"**_

_**His eyes grew wide in fear; this was the end. The supposedly "everlasting" moment they just spent together meant nothing, because she threw his life away with those three damned words.**_

"_**T-Toshi-kun! W-What's happening!" she cried.**_

_**His hands slowly slipped away from hers, losing the life and vitality they once had.**_

"_**G-Gomen! K-Kudasai! I didn't mean it! How selfish was I? I've lost everything…I've lost my world…"**_

_**Toshi cracked a smile, one that was genuine and peaceful, "Kaori…what was life worth living with this curse? Being born a Haruno was a mistake of the Gods. Later I found you, and made my life brighter. Then Kaa-san came into the picture. She despised the fact that I too fell in love within our arranged marriage. I kept my mouth shut afraid of the consequences of my actions….**_**Arigatou.**_**"**_

_**The woman by the name of Kaori rejoiced and cried tears of joy. She had never been happier in her life. When realizing his gratitude, she looked at him confused as to why he'd say such a thing.**_

"_**T-Toshi? W-Why would you say that!"**_

_**No response.**_

"_**Toshi!"**_

_**His sea green eyes closed shut, whispering the last words, "Aishiteru…"**_

_**Within less than a minute after, Kaori fell on top of him, dead.**_

The birds chirped.

The wind blew in my face as I awoke frightened and confused.

"_Was that a dream? More like a nightmare!"_

I positioned myself in a push-up stance, realizing that I felt nothing but soft covers underneath me.

"_Where'd this come from? Last time I checked, I landed on the cold, hard ground."_

The window right next to the bed I slept in was left open. The breeze helped to refresh me and better my mood. The room was entirely plain, no decorations or anything to brighten up the place. To my left was a side table, and placed on top of it, was a traditional navy blue Konoha headgear.

"_Okay that's good…so I was brought back into civilization and away from that creepy forest."_

The idea of removing my covers from on top of me was a scary thought. I did it anyway and was relieved.

"_Oh thank God…my clothes are still intact…"_

Walking outside the bedroom and looking out the window, I noticed my location was completely secluded. It was an isolated part of the village which I had never been. My logic told me not to around randomly in someone else's property. My childlike curiosity craved adventure and demanded to know where each door led. This was no small place; it was more like a compound built for a large family of fifteen to twenty to live in.

While walking around, I noticed that the hallways were in a way placed outside. There was a roof covering the corridor, but it was left open sort of like a porch except much bigger. The warm summer wind blew in my face. It felt like the breath of life washing over me. Right across the hall was a pond filled with water lilies. I observed a small humming bird stay still on the stony edge of the pond. Eventually, it flew away into another room. I couldn't help but follow the cute little thing.

The bird entered what looked like the grand master bedroom. I could easily tell by the double doors in front and small stairs leading to it. Slowly I walked up and stepped in the room. It was dark strangely enough, even though it was day time. I kept the double doors open to provide enough light and carefully walked to open the blinds across from me. I did, and the radiant light revealed all aspects of the room.

It was big and spacey, fit for a king. A master bed lay against the north wall of the room with an intricately-designed, wooden headboard. The sheets were purely white linens, made of the finest silk. A study desk was placed right by me, and on top, were mission files and police reports from over twenty years ago. I could judge by the dates on each individual record. One of them in particular caught my eye.

"_This must be one of the oldest, most out of date of all the records in this pile."_

It was stained red, most likely from a bloody mess. Before I could read it, the double doors of the master bedroom opened completely.

"Get out," The voice harshly ordered.

I turned to find Uchiha Sasuke behind me. The spiritual energy from deep within his eyes was dark, much more than just the onyx color. He was angry, angrier from the argument we had in the woods.

"_S-Sasuke? What's he doing here?"_

This pompous fool did not faze me in the least. I crossed my arms over my chest and raised a brow, "Just what are _you_ doing here?"

"I live here," He stated while gritting his pearly whites.

"_I feel really foolish right now…"_

"Sasuke, were you the one who brought me here?"

He avoided gazing into my eyes and scanned the room, "Well who _else_, smart one?"

His sarcastic remarks began to annoy me, "_Why_ did you bring me here?"

The Uchiha finally met my eyes, "I'm not heartless you know…"

A blush crept up on my face, but I tried so hard to fight it.

"_Stop it, Sakura! I mean anyone would've helped someone who was lying unconscious in the middle of the woods. It just happened to be Uchiha Sasuke as the only other person in the forest, so there!"_

He immediately turned to leave the room as I followed suit. By this time we were already outside.

"Wait!" I called.

Sasuke sharply turned his head with an irritated look on his face, "What?"

I smiled, took a deep breath, and said a heartfelt, "Thank you."

He merely nodded in response and walked over to a bench as he sat and contemplated, "Tch…just because I did this _one _thing doesn't mean we're friends."

"_Could this have been his way of saying you're welcome? I swear, Sasuke is a mysterious character that's all I'm gonna say…"_

"I never considered us to be friends in the first place. I was trying to be nice and thank you. After today, I don't plan on seeing you ever again. We'll continue on with our lives as if we never knew each other."

He said nothing in response as I went back inside the compound to retrieve my straw basket. Once I returned outside, the strangest thing happened, it started to rain.

"I didn't realize it was going to rain today…" I spoke, not anticipating an answer from Sasuke.

"There were no clouds indicating any rain…bizarre…" He said.

A loud, screeching noise sounded throughout the Uchiha courtyard. We turned our attention to a black crow staring at us, flapping its wings.

"_Do crows enjoy the rain?"_

An entire family of crows appeared beside the original one we found standing on the branch of a cherry blossom tree.

Suddenly, the rain started to _pour_. There was so much that the entire village began to flood. I sighed in frustration, wondering how in the world I was going to get home. Sasuke was already in front of the doorway with his back turned towards me.

"Well, do you want to come in or not?"

My brow rose in suspicion, "Since when are _you _so nice?"

He stayed in the same position, "Fine…you can stay out here and soak for all I care…"

Afraid of being outside alone in the cold, wet rain, I ran in after him. We waited two and half to three hours, and the rain hadn't cleared up. The flooding grew worse, and, there was a severe thunderstorm. Sasuke leaned against the glass window in the family room as I sat in a comfy chair with a blanket around me to keep myself warm.

He stared out the window, "Looks like it's not going to get any better…"

I grew worried, "How long do you think it will stay like this?"

Sasuke sat in a chair directly across from me,"Could be a few days…"

At first, I was glad to have shelter. Then, I realized if the rainstorm lasted for a few more days then Oba-san would return and discover I wasn't home!

"_I'm going to get in so much trouble! What do I do! I'll just have to wait until tomorrow and see how things turn out..." _

Trying to ease my discomfort, I attempted to make conversation in this awkward silence.

"So…do you have any family around here?"

"_I hope that wasn't too personal…"_

He merely nodded, "No…"

Uncomfortable silence filled the air. The dripping rain hit the rooftop and echoed throughout the house. It was a strange, yet comforting silence. The past week has been stressful and painful, mentally and physically because of Oba-san.

Sasuke finally spoke up, breaking the silence, "I've only heard about your grandmother…are you living with her?"

I nodded, "Yes…just with her. My parents aren't around."

He didn't say anymore, fearful that he had pried too much in my personal life. The thing was though that I didn't mind so much. I was only a baby so I don't remember anything about my parents. The one bit of information I cannot leak out to a stranger, is my clan's curse.

"Living with her can sometimes be a pain. She expects so much out of me, she has since I was a little girl. Oba-san taught me discipline and knowing my place. I do thank her for teaching me these things, because without her, I would have turned out to be someone unfit to be a Haruno."

Sasuke's gaze was piercing and almost intensifying, sort of like he could see through me, "Are you happy?"

I gave him a weird look, "Of course I am! Why wouldn't I be? She's my oba-san. I've known her since I was born. I love her to death. I am happy to have been raised as a part of the Haruno clan."

His look was slightly intimidating, "I can't see it in your eyes…"

I didn't respond back, because there was nothing to say. Was I really happy? The strange thing was that I liked being here _away _from home. I was in no mood to go back alone, even if she was my grandmother. It made me wonder, was this how normal grandmothers act? I understand she was only trying to discipline me, but, in cruel and unusual ways like abuse? It's wrong. I should have been able to look back at my childhood and think how much fun it was. When really, all I remember was taking orders and hits from a deranged old woman. The thought scared me even more when Sasuke told me back in the woods that she killed his grandfather. Just who was he, and, why did she do it?

Suddenly, I snapped out of my thoughts, "Sasuke…who was your grandfather? The one who my grandmother supposedly killed?"

He stated without any hesitation, "Uchiha Madara."

That named sounded scarily familiar. It scared me even more to think my oba-san was a murderer. Then again, I know what she's capable of from all the crap I take from her almost every day.

"How did they know each other?" I asked.

Sasuke slouched in his chair, "I remember my mom saying they were classmates, fellow genin to be exact. They were placed on the same squad throughout their years of ninjutsu training. The two of them never got along supposedly because of your grandmother's hot-temper and my grandfather's cold heart. They gradually became the best of friends. Then one day, there was an ambush in Konoha by one of the neighboring villages, eventually leading into war. Your oba-san stayed with my grandfather the whole time because he grew ill from a poisonous shuriken that infected his blood system. She revived him and he was much better. My grandfather's subordinates of the ANBU blackops came to check up on how he was doing, and eventually, found him dead."

That was one heart-rattling story. I would have never expected my own grandmother to do something as heinous as killing another human being. Although she was the only remaining elder of my clan, I had lost so much respect for her.

"I…I'm so sorry…"

Sasuke averted his eyes into another direction, "Doesn't matter…it's the past…"

I'm sure deep down he cared, because, that was obviously his own grandfather who died at the hands of my blood relative. He must have hated me since I am in fact a Haruno.

"Well…if it makes you feel any better…I'm nothing like her."

The Uchiha scoffed, "Please…looking at you makes me sick."

"_Is this guy bipolar or what! One minute he shows some kindness and, the next, he's a total ass!"_

"The way you _act_ makes me sick, Uchiha. You have no manners and have no idea how to treat someone with respect. Your parents should've taught you better man—".

And that was it. I was pulled to my feet and thrown against the wall. Sasuke had both of his hands wrapped around my neck. The world around me slowly began fuzzy until the anger and rage in his voice brought me to his attention.

"Don't you _dare_ bring my parents into this. You have no idea what they were like."

Sasuke's eyes changed color to a deep, dark red.

"_The sharingan…"_

He continued, "Your parents died when you were born, what do you know? You don't know a damn thing! You grew up along side someone who cared for you. I was eight years old when I lost my parents! To my own god damned brother! How screwed up is that? I grew up _alone_, without _anyone_. I spent my entire _childhood _planning to kill him. You know what? I did it. I achieved my life goal, and now, there's NOTHING! So don't go insulting my family because you don't know a _damn_ thing.

"_Alone…"_

Before I could say anything, tears flowed from my eyes. Memories of my grandmother's abuse flooding throughout my mind. It was too much for me to handle. I was shaking and hyperventilating. My body took control on its own. My mind was unstable.

"_**Never fall in love, Haruno Sakura…"**_

Those words…those haunting words kept coming back to me. Once oba-san died, I would remain forever alone. There would be no one to share my pain with; no one would be able to understand me. I dropped to my knees on the floor and held my head in place, trying to keep myself stable. I didn't want to freak out in some stranger's house. All of the hardship and suffering I've endured, it has all resulted in this breakdown.

I was facing this all by myself, and I couldn't give myself the strength to overcome it.

"S-Sakura!"

Sasuke immediately ran to my side and demanded for me to tell him what was wrong. From my hysterical condition, I was in no position to talk. The anger disappeared from his eyes, and grew soft and tender. He hesitated, but, brought himself to place his smooth hand on my face, as if gesturing comfort and support. He felt like a friend, a true friend I really needed. Funny enough, it wasn't Naruto or Hinata or any of the other kids I grew up.

It was a complete _stranger_. It was Uchiha Sasuke.

We stared into each other's eyes. I somehow forgave him almost choking me to death and yelling at me because I found out about his past. We were both alone from the start, and this hidden connection with him soon became noticeable. It made me feel safe and accepted something my grandmother failed to provide all these years.

I calmed myself down, and miraculously, the rainstorm stopped. It was sunny again.

"Thank you…" I said.

Immediately, I grabbed my straw basket and walked outside. We followed me, and could only stare. It was a look of complete empathy, as if we understood each other. I continued my journey back home and gazed at the cherry blossom tree on my way out. There was a beautiful, white dove perched on the branch were the crows originally were. I smiled at the sight, because it was a peaceful one. So was I, all because of my pathetic argument with Sasuke.

It was a great opportunity staying in a room with my childhood crush. I saw Uchiha Sasuke as a different person, one who experienced pain and misfortune. My facial expression turned into a frown because I knew I'd never see him again.

But deep in my heart, I knew there was some good that came out of it.

**Author's Note: **That was chapter 3! I know I said I would update over the weekend. But I was craving some writing action. Let me know what you thought of this one. Again, MESSAGE me! I always love to hear from fellow readers and reviewers. ALSO…don't forget to review!

Well hope you all enjoy the rest of your week. I might update another chapter during the weekdays, but if I don't, then check back here during the weekend because there will be another chappie up!

Tootles,

~Sweetness


	4. The Raven and the Dove

**Author's Note: **Hey everyone! So sorry this has taken forever to update! I am DONE with classes! All I have left are field placements for three weeks, and then I graduate! HAZAAAAAAAAHHHH! Let's get on with the story!

**Chapter 4: The Raven and the Dove**

"Hinata!" Ino called, approaching the two of us as we slurped the last of our ramen in a lady like manner.

Hinata turned her head to face Ino-pig, who sat on the stool next to her.

"So I spent HOURS searching through my closet everyday last week and I couldn't find anything. Then I utilized both my own skills, and Sai's, to put THIS together! Take a look!"

Ino-pig removed a miniature canvas from her bag as Hinata and I gazed in awe at the sight before us. It was a painting of a model, who I presumed to be Ino, wearing a sexy kimono. It was highly modernized and nowhere near traditional. The figure in the picture wore a long-sleeved, periwinkle blue kimono with a white, satin obi tied around the waist. Floral designs, white and pink, adorned the fabric in both small and large sizes. What made it look 'sexy' was the cut of the outfit. It brought out the figure in the drawing's curves and the blueness of her eyes. The short length I was not crazy about. The kimono was two or three inches above the knees. If that length was okay with Ino, that's fine but Hinata and I would never wear something that short. We were more into the traditional and modest style of dress. This was the way we were brought up, and I am proud of that.

"I-It's very nice Ino-chan, but, why are you asking me? Don't you think Sakura-chan would be better with this kind of stuff?"

And to that I raised a brow as if telepathically saying to her, "I hardly go out and you think _I'm _a talented fashionista? Get real!"

Pig smiled, "I thought I'd ask you since you _are _the groom's cousin and you know what's appropriate to wear at this wedding. Do you think this is okay?"

Hina gave me a look, hoping I'd answer for her. So I did, "Hinata and I both agree it's stylish. If you haven't known all these years Ino, the Hyuuga family is conservative. They're having a traditional wedding ceremony, and everyone knows that. However, if that's what you feel comfortable wearing, then go for it! You could make other girls jealous!"

I said the last part just to make her happy.

She beamed, "Hell yes I will! Thanks Saku, thanks Hina! So the only difference from the picture is that I'm wearing tights, so you could say my legs are _in a way_ covered and the shoes will be different. I have a pair of white, boot-like stiletto heels that would go _perfectly_ with this outfit!"

We smiled in assurance as Ino spoke up again, "I don't know about anyone else in this village, but, I'm so excited! This is _the_ royal wedding of the year! People from all over won't want to miss this chance to see Hyuuga Neji marry a commoner!"

Hinata sighed, "If you haven't forgotten Ino-chan, that _commoner_, is our friend Tenten, remember? The wedding is a big deal for everyone because the media is focused too much on it. Poor Tenten is nervous, but, she knows what she's getting herself into. I think she's perfectly fit to be a Hyuuga, and, Neji's wife."

Ino's eyes sparkled as she immersed herself momentarily into a daydream, "Ah…how great would it be to marry a prince, don't you think guys?"

I thought about it for a bit. It did seem like a nice idea; then again, I wasn't one for handling all this attention from everyone in the world. For me, it would be difficult to be a part of the royal family, because of all the pressure involved. There's no possible way I'd be able to handle that. Besides, I have no chance at love, not with this curse.

There was a silence until I said yes to her statement. Hinata thought differently.

"It's not easy Ino, it never has been being a princess. There are so many responsibilities, and your life is always devoted to your family. There is no time for yourself really. I don't see why everyone's making a huge deal out of this wedding. We Hyuuga's no longer hold any power, we're just figureheads."

"Your family _does _bring in wealth and prosperity to Konoha with all of the different royal alliances your family holds with other countries." I added.

She nodded, "True…but the one with all the power is the Hokage. There's always been tension between the Hyuuga family and the Hokage for the past two hundred years. Even to this day, my father does not approve of Tsunade-san ruling Konohagakure. He _especially _disapproves of her since she partakes in gambling and drinking sake. Father says a leader of a country should not spend every Saturday evening partying when he or she is responsible for the wellbeing of the citizens."

I spotted Ino's mischievous twinkle in her eye as she said, "So…_hypothetically speaking_…if you were to say…fall for someone who plans on becoming the Hokage, or if they already are the Hokage, then what would happen?"

"_Oh gosh…I know where this is going…"_

Hinata seemed oblivious to the meaning behind Ino's statement, "That's a good question…well…I wouldn't be allowed to marry that person. Father would simply forbid it. It would ruin our family's dynamics. He would see me siding more with the government instead of staying loyal to our family. Father believes to this very day that the Hyuuga family should still be the ones ruling. I completely disagree though. Times have changed and father needs to accept this. So hypothetically if it did happen, which it really would never ever happen, I could never marry him."

I was taken aback. All this time, with Hinata being royalty, I thought she had the freedom to marry _anyone_.

What will happen with her feelings towards Naruto?

"_She's loved him forever…"_

The fact that he's a commoner makes things much worse. Yes Tenten and Neji are in the same situation, but, since Neji is a male born into the family, Hiashi-san made an exception for that reason. Since the Hyuuga family is more traditional, Hinata does not hold any power because she's a woman. Her father would not want someone not born into the Hyuuga family to marry her.

Ino changed the subject, "Since the wedding is tomorrow. What are the two of you planning to wear?"

Hinata and I shrugged our shoulders, "No idea," we said at the same time.

"Are you taking Sai as your date to the wedding, Ino?" I asked.

She blushed, "I never thought about it…but he _did _help design my outfit. So why not? I know there's going to be dancing at this wedding, ne Hina-chan?"

Hinata nodded, "After the religious ceremony comes the fun stuff. It's like a big festival Konohagakure is holding in honor of Neji and Tenten. We're having singers, dancers, glass blowers, a DJ, and eventually ball room dancing in the evening. I think I left some of the stuff out, but that's all I can think of at the top of my head."

"It sounds like a carnival," I said.

Hina giggled, "It sure does! That's the kind of theme Tenten wanted. Neji didn't have anything particularly in mind, so he just went along with it. Sakura you're coming, right?"

Ino piggy-backed onto Hinata's question, "Yeah, Forehead! You gotta come! Please don't stay locked up in your house again. Your grandmother is out of town until Sunday so you have _plenty_ of time to party and have fun! MAYBE you can meet a cute guy!"

"I'll go, but I'm not interested in meeting some guy Ino. There's more to life than that."

"Suit yourself, Saku…" She said in response.

The three of us spotted Ayame-chan at the counter, "Oh! Are you guys talking about the royal wedding? I'm so excited! Everyone's talking about it!"

Ayame and Ino high-fived each other in agreement.

"Hinata, aren't you Tenten's Maid-of-Honor?" Ayame asked.

She sighed, "I am…I'd much rather be a bridesmaid like the three of you."

"Why? It's an honor to be the soon-to-be princess's Maid-of-Honor! Haha, get it? It's an HONOR to be the Maid-of-HONOR? I crack myself up sometimes…" Ino chuckled.

Ayame, Hina, and I sweat dropped in response to her comment.

I spoke up this time, "Ino's right, Hinata. You should be happy about it. I think it's an exciting opportunity. Your father requested you to be the Maid-of-Honor, right?"

Hina nodded, "Yes. He figured since I'm already a Hyuuga clan member, I should have an important role in this wedding. It's not that bad though. I mean…Tenten's a good friend of mine so I can deal with it."

"Since Sakura, Ino, and I are the bridesmaids, we're not going to have to wear the same kimonos are we?"

"_Good point, Ayame."_

"That's how everything was done back then, but, Tenten said she doesn't want that. You guys can wear different kimonos."

Ayame grinned, "Have you guys read up on any of the royal family news on Dancing Leaf Magazine? The paparazzi simply won't leave Tenten alone. I can't believe she's now a fashion icon! Remember her back when we were younger? She was _such _a tomboy."

"She still is," I added.

The four of us flipped through the different magazines, finding pictures of Tenten's new outfits and going to royal events with Neji. There was one recent article on Tenten's lawsuit against the paparazzi and Prince Neji's response to leave her alone.

"Oh my gosh, I remember that." I said.

"Yeah, same! Remember she kept complaining to us about how she couldn't get to work in the mornings because the paparazzi would literally hound her?" Ino informed.

"Thankfully, she won the lawsuit and has a restraining order against the paparazzi. They really are a nuisance. I cannot stand dealing with them almost everyday I get out of my house." Hinata declared.

"Well girlies, I'll see you all tomorrow. Tou-san wants me to deliver orders around the village, so I gotta go," Ayame explained.

Ino, Hinata, and I did the same and went our separate ways. The weather was beautiful, a good time to have a wedding. It's been a few weeks since I've seen Tenten. She was busy, preparing for this event. Hopefully after this was all over, we would get to see more of each other. The cool breeze refreshed me as I closed my eyes, enjoying this peaceful moment. A soft cooing could be heard close by. I turned, and found a white dove perched on the branch of a cherry blossom tree. The strange thing was, there were hardly any doves in Konoha. They were not native creatures to the fire country.

So what was one doing here?

This may have been the same one I saw at the Uchiha compound.

"_Uchiha…"_

Immediately my thoughts turned to Sasuke. As a little girl, I dreamt of meeting him personally instead of admiring him from afar. As gorgeous as he may have been, I had no idea he led a lonely life. He was a tortured soul all along, and whatever higher power brought us together at that moment, I thank them. There was a connection between us. I could feel it. Not sure why, but every time I think of him…my heart aches.

Could he feel the same way?

"_Highly doubt it…just forget about him…it was just that one moment. He means nothing to me. I'll never see him again."_

The dove flying in another direction brought me suddenly out of my thoughts. I followed the creature. It was purely magical. There was some sort of a divine quality in this bird I could sense. Strangely enough, I felt what this dove represented to me. I was at peace, completely secure, and felt loved. It is a weird thing to say, but, the god-like qualities I sensed made me feel somehow reinvigorated. I felt happier with life and left all of my troubles behind me.

I crossed a bridge and gazed at my surroundings. There was a large pond underneath this bridge with water lilies and lily pads floating on the surface. A toad hopped onto one of the lilypads and stared at me with its big, black eyes. I was a bit grossed out and turned my attention to the dove which flew over to a large shrine at the end of the bridge. As long as I've lived in Konoha, never have I seen this place before. There was certainly a divine quality to this structure, yet, it gave me a creepy feeling. The dove wobbled gracefully to the entrance where the kanji overtop the doorway read, "Naka Shrine".

"_Something tells me I'm not supposed to be here…but…the dove is signaling for me to go. Could this be a sign for something?"_

Those double doors two feet away were begging me to walk inside. I looked around the area again and this time spotted the Uchiha clan symbol on the rooftop.

"_Th_is _is a bad idea…maybe I shouldn't go…"_

The dove continued its wobbling and turned its head to me as if saying, "What are you waiting for? Let's go in already!"

The power of the dove forced me to continue walking. I was curious and excited to know what lied behind those doors. Before walking up the steps, there was a deafening sound not too far away from me. There was a raven, sitting on the rooftop where the Uchiha clan symbol was located. It startled me, and then, I paid it no heed and continued on my way.

"_It's just a bird…who cares…just keep going!"_

My feet continued to move up the steps, and the higher I climbed, the louder the raven called. Soon enough, there was an entire flock made up of what looked like ten or so ravens.

"_W-What is this?"_

Suddenly, the ravens' eyes each glowed a strange purple color, with ripples in their eyes. My vision grew fuzzy and the world around me was an illusion.

"_Is this a genjutsu?"_

I was never a shinobi, but I did know a few things about certain techniques ninja use on one another in battle and deceiving an enemy with an illusion is one of them. My world was a mix of black and purple. There was this field. I walked forward to the crowing sounds. The trees had no leaves, they were pitch black and so were the clouds in the dark purple sky.

"Wretched human…"

"Whose there! R-Reveal yourself!" I said, trying to stay calm and unfazed by the deep dark voice calling me.

Suddenly, the wind blew hard and pushed me back. To prevent myself from blowing away, I held onto the trunk of a lifeless tree. A maniacal laughter sounded immediately and soon revealed a king-sized raven.

"Come my child…" it spoke.

I shut my eyes trying to block out the image, "G-Go away!"

"I am Karasu and you will listen to me."

Immediately my eyes shot open, fearful of any consequences I would face if I didn't listen to him.

"What were you doing in the property of the _Uchiha clan_?" he angrily questioned.

Making eye contact with the creature was the most difficult part of this conversation. His eyes were that same purple color with black circles as pupils. They were menacing.

"I…I'm s-sorry…I saw this beautiful dove. It flew away and I just followed it. I didn't realize this was the Uchiha shrine until I noticed the symbol. The dove kept going so I followed. Then there were these scary looking crows and suddenly I ended up here…"

"We ravens are the guardians of the Uchiha clan. It has been this way since the Sage of the Six Path's time. I, Karasu-sama, am the God of all Ravens. The Uchihas worship me. Tell me…what were you doing following a dove?"

I hesitated. There was no reason and I had no answer for him, "Umm…I-I don't really know why exactly I followed it. There was this strange aura, causing me to follow it. I felt like we had a connection."

"You're of the Haruno clan, aren't you?"

My eyes grew wide, "H-How'd you know that?"

"You possess a pure heart. One so pure…that a deep power lies with in your very soul."

"P-Power?" I repeated.

Karasu-sama nodded, "Yes…your clan fought for love. How _petty_."

My thoughts rolled back to Sasuke's words.

"_NO!"_

The raven spoke again, "This is why your clan no longer exists. They were weak because they refused to fight and advocated for peace. The Uchihas were sick of Konohagakure being ruled by the Haruno clan and fought to take the crown. They eventually accomplished this, and kept a sacred treasure of one of the Haruno clan members. As time passed, it was lost. Many searched, yet, found nothing."

I said nothing and waited for what else he had to say.

"All I know is that your grandmother Chiyo fought to protect this treasure. The rest is all a mystery."

"_O-Obasan!"_

"Y-You know my grandmother?"

"I did. For most of my life I knew her, then, I never saw her again. Search parties were sent. She was nowhere to be found."

My mind became confused, "Well…if you want to see her so badly…she's here in Konoha! She's alive and well. We're the only Haruno clan members left."

The raven smirked, "Tch…dobato…"

"E-Excuse me?" I questioned.

"She's not the same woman anymore…what would you know? All you witnessed was her pain and misfortune. You know _nothing _about her."

My fists clenched, "As if _you_ know anything! You're just some ugly crow that likes to kill and spread darkness. You know nothing about what _I've_ gone through, of what I _will_ have to go through for the rest of my life!"

Immediately the raven flapped his wings and screeched as loud as he could, "Forget it all, damn it! The Haruno clan is no more! I will kill you and claim your power!"

Before I could run, the tree behind me used its branches to hold me in place as the Raven came for me. I struggled and screamed.

"Nothing can protect you now…"

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH" I yelled at the top of my lungs.

The raven charged his beak towards my heart where he must have sensed this power. I struggled with all my might to free myself from the tree's grasp. As I did, a bright white light emerged from where the raven was aiming for. The light took the form of another bird, a dove, to be more exact.

My eyes had never seen such a sight. The dove spirit left my body, causing the raven to screech from the blindness the light caused him.

And that was it.

I woke up in front of the Naka Shrine and found the dove I followed standing on my stomach.

Sitting up, I scratched my head completely confused.

"_What's going on here?"_

The dove innocently blinked its wide eyes at me waddling back to the shrine.

"There's no way I'm going back there. You can forget it, birdy. I'm leaving."

The fear of meeting that dreaded creature again instinctually drove me to run in the opposite direction, back to the village. As I ran, I bumped into someone and fell onto the ground massaging my toosh.

"What are you up to, Haruno Sakura?"

**Author's Note: **That was chapter 4! How'd you like it? Yes, the part with Tenten and Neji was based off of the royal wedding which I absolutely loved! What did you guys think of it? I adored Kate's dress. Yes, as you can see…there are a lot of supernatural elements in this story which I like. ALSO…can you guess who Sakura bumped into? You probably won't be able to MUAHAHAHAHA. Well I'm off to enjoy a nice family dinner in a delicious restaurant called Four Seasons…yum yum! I will check back and HOPEFULLY people will be reviewing! Also, again if you'd like to message me, please do so. I'll update within the next couple days, so, stay tuned folks!

Vocabulary you may not be familiar with:

**Dobato**-Stupid/naïve dove.

Ciao!

~Sweetness


	5. A Slow Unraveling of One's Destiny

**Author's Note: **Hey y'all! I know it's been more than a couple days since I said I'd update, but, I've been one busy bee. My time at home has been relaxing. I wish the weather would just turn up! It's been raining. I hope this summer is one filled with sunshine! Well here's the updated chapter I promised. Enjoy!

**Chapter 5: A Slow Unraveling of One's Destiny**

She took my hand and helped me up as I straightened out my clothing, hoping to make myself presentable.

"H-How…did you know my name?" I asked shyly.

Standing in front of the Hokage was intimidating, yet, exciting. Tsunade-san has been a role model for me ever since I was little. She stood poised and graceful, yet, held a powerful stature. A few months back I remember Oba-san mentioning to me Tsunade-san's real age, since she'd attend the council meetings in which the Hokage must be present. This woman right in front of me was _beautiful_ regardless of her old age. She possessed striking amber eyes, shining platinum blonde hair, and a tiny blue jewel placed in the middle of her forehead.

Tsunade-san chuckled; completely relaxed unlike me who inwardly panicked hoping I was behaving appropriately in front of Konohagakure's very own leader.

"I know _everyone_ in this village, Sakura. More importantly, I know your grandmother. Judging from meeting you myself, you're nothing like what she described you to be."

My big green eyes blinked, "What did she say about me?"

Her eyes wandered, recalling what oba-san supposedly said earlier, and gazed upon my face again.

"She'd always say you were quite reserved and withdrawn. That you would spend your days locked up in your room, refusing her orders. Chiyo would say at times that you were good-for-nothing."

I didn't know how to respond to Tsunade-san's rather blunt comment. After all I've done for oba-san; she simply refuses to acknowledge me.

"But I can see she's wrong," The Hokage claimed.

Thoughts of disappointment vanished, "How? Not to be rude Hokage-san, but, we just met and I don't know if you can make that kind of a judgment…"

Afraid to meet her eyes, I did so anyway to show respect.

"You're just like your mother…" she merely stated.

My eyes grew wide, "You knew my mother?"

Tsunade nodded, "Of course! She was my apprentice back in the day. I had never trained _anyone_ as respectful, diligent, and passionate as Haruno Kaori. Konoha was in the midst of war against the military regime of the ANBU black op squad, who are now under our control. She was about sixteen then. I remember watching her run, desperately searching for her family. A member of the rebelling black op squad grabbed her hair and she cried for help. A member of my medical ninja squad paged me to get to the scene immediately. I found her crying profusely. Immediately after taking down the fiend who attempted to attack her, I took her under my wing since we were unable to locate her family at the time. After the war was over, she became my apprentice. I taught her the concept of chakra control and the proper technique to utilize her strength. She was the first Haruno female clan member to become a shinobi."

I stared at Tsunade in awe, impressed by my mother's story.

She continued on, "Teaching Kaori these skills helped increase both her mental and emotional strength, as well as her physical stamina. She surpassed my expectations. Her future seemed set in stone, to take my place as the next leader of my top medical ninja squad. Then, it happened…"

My fists clenched in anticipation of the upcoming events of Tsunade-san's background story.

"Your grandmother Chiyo wanted Kaori to marry her son, Toshi. Women traditionally, in the Haruno clan, had no power. Their role was to produce children, take care of the household, and obey their husbands. Being the feminist I was, and still am, I stood up to Chiyo. She did not believe in women going out to fight. Apparently my way of thinking was _false_. It was more difficult for Kaori since her parents died when she was born. There was no one to look after her. Chiyo served the role as Kaori's guardian for majority of her life and believed it was Kaori's duty to marry her cousin, Toshi. Kaori was a lot like you. She placed her family over all others, and she gave up her training with me to marry and produce a child. How ironic it was, Chiyo believed two people should not be in love. They should merely continue the family line. Women were not treated as humans in your family, Sakura. Just baby-making machines. Your mother set a precedent. She and your father fell in love. I remember visiting you when you were just born. Kaori wanted me to be your guardian, which, Chiyo would not allow. Your oba-san believed it was her place to care for you since she was the matriarch of the Haruno clan. She banished me from seeing you, thinking my influence would cause you to 'disobey' her. I never saw Kaori again. The news of her death struck me hard. I showed up to the funeral and asked _how _it happened. Chiyo never gave me an answer and ordered me to leave."

I stood there frozen, unsure of what to say.

Tsunade-san spoke again, "You have grown up to be _beautiful_, Haruno Sakura. I had hoped for years to see you again. It's strange for me to say this, but, you're like the grand daughter I never had. Chiyo is not fit to be your guardian."

My eyes merely blinked again.

"Where is your grandmother? Why are you walking by yourself? I feel like I've talked so much, I have no idea what you're thinking…talk to me, please."

I rubbed my temples, registering everything that was just said to me.

"Oba-san is gone visiting a friend in Amegakure. She'll be back in three days. I'm sick of staying cooped up at home, I felt it was time to get out and enjoy the weather."

Lady Tsunade raised a brow, "And…?"

"And," I repeated,"I'm tired of being weak all the time, Tsunade-san. I'm nineteen years old! I depend on grandmother for everything. I don't want to be treated as a child anymore…."

Suddenly, hot tears sleeked down my face as I tried to fight them.

"Sakura…." Tsunade said.

"I'm tired of experiencing pain…I want to be strong and happy."

The woman in front of me smiled as her azure eyes glistened in the sunlight, "You've come to the right woman then. We'll start our training tomorrow!"

Immediately the thought of oba-san's response to my training came to mind, "I-I don't think that's a good idea, Tsunade-san."

She placed her hands on her hips, "Haruno Sakura…deep in your eyes I see potential and a heck of a lot of determination. I will not let you pass up this opportunity! It's not too late to learn the ways of the shinobi, or in your case, kunoichi. Your grandmother won't be back for another _two_ days. That gives me plenty of time to guide you along the ninja path. Give it a thought."

Without any hesitation, I smiled, indicating my readiness to become a full-fledged kunoichi.

In response, the Hokage nodded, pleased with my choice.

To break the overwhelming silence between us, I spoke, "Tsunade-san…may I ask why you are here as well?"

She smiled simply and answered my question, "I've been working like a dog all week. The elders of the council expect me to please them in every aspect of Konohagakure's wellbeing. I'm getting older, and I've noticed, my stress levels increase with time. I need a break once in a while, so I take a peaceful walk around here. This area is nice because no one is ever around."

"Why not?" I questioned.

"If you noticed the fan-shaped symbol you'd realize this is an Uchiha temple. This place has been around since the birth of Konoha. It's a painful sight really. The Uchiha family used to thrive and prosper all these years. They were a large clan, with this complicated hierarchy. Many believed the Uchihas would create their own dynasty, they practically did, but it didn't last for long when Uchiha Itachi massacred his entire clan."

The last bit made me recall what Sasuke said about his clan earlier.

"Have you met Uchiha Sasuke, Tsunade-san?"

She nodded, "I have. He was placed under my care until he turned eighteen. Once this happened, Sasuke moved back to the Uchiha compound. I haven't seen him since."

I mouthed an O until she spoke again, "Have you met him before?"

"I…I have."

Thankfully, Tsunade-san didn't ask anything else concerning Sasuke and continued her "interrogation".

"As I was walking, I spotted you within the boundaries of the Naka Shrine. Were you planning on going inside?"

Immediately, my hands began to sweat, "N-No…I was just curious…"

She chuckled, "Well, you won't be able to get inside if that's what you're thinking. Only the all powerful Uchiha leaders were able to enter. I think I heard something about an Uchiha clan member being able to fully develop his or her sharingan. Some say there is a tablet hidden within the deep dark depths of the shrine, containing all of the clan's secrets."

"_What KIND of secrets I wonder…"_

The Hokage and I continued to walk further away from the shrine and watched the pond underneath the bridge we stood on.

"Tsunade-san…thank you."

She turned in my direction with a raised eyebrow, questioning my statement.

"I meant…thank you for this training opportunity. I want to live up to my mother."

"You could turn out to be even better," she encouraged.

"Ah! Tsunade-san, there you are!"

Lady Hokage and I turned to the direction of a tall woman with shoulder length black hair, bangs, and dark eyes. She wore a long blueish-black kimono with white trimmings, held closed by a white obi, and open-toed sandals with low heels.

"I've been looking all over for you! The elders-"

Tsunade-san scoffed, "Elders schmelders…like I want to think about them right now. Why don't you join us, Shizune. You're always worked up over every single thing, just relax and take in your surroundings."

Before she could retort, Shizune cocked her head towards my direction, "And who is this?"

My eyes moved from the frog hopping on each lily pad to this 'Shizune' addressing me, "Haruno Sakura, it's nice to meet you, Shizune-san."

She took a double take once I introduced myself, "H-Haruno? As in of the _Haruno _clan?"

I nodded, expecting this to happen. The Haruno clan, as I've said before, is prestigious.

"Shizune has also been a long-time apprentice of mine. She's learned many medical techniques of mine."

"You're both medical ninja?" I inquired.

She grinned, "That's the training I've been talking about. You'll thank me in the long run."

"_A medical ninja? How great would that be? I'd be able to heal others, as well as myself. This would be a great way to become independent!"_

Shizune interrupted, "Tsunade-san, Sakura-san…I'm sorry to cut in but we have some wedding preparations to attend to."

Tsunade scoffed, "I'm the _Hokage_ for goodness sake! I have nothing to do with the royal family. They can plan everything themselves!"

The Hokage's apprentice placed her hands on her hips, frustrated, "I think this would be a _great _opportunity to show the Hyuugas you care about their affairs. This way, they won't be gossiping about you behind your back, Tsunade-sama! It would strengthen your relationship with the royal family."

Their conversation made me wonder, just how in the world did Tsunade become Hokage and not Shizune? Shizune seemed to be on top of things, not to offend Tsunade-san in any way, of course.

Lady Tsunade sighed, "Oh alright…Sakura, I'll see you tonight _and _I expect to see you bright and early tomorrow morning."

With that, I nodded in agreement as the two women made their way back to the village. My eyes closed, replaying our entire conversation. I did not regret taking up the Hokage's offer to train and become a stronger ninja. This would be a new beginning for me. I'll sneak out of the house once oba-san returns.

The cooing from the dove proceeded, as I crossed my arms and nodded, "No, I'm not following you! Did you see what kind of trouble I got in from that raven? There's no way, good luck to you."

Without looking behind me, I raced back home, ready to prepare for tonight's festivities. After showering, I dressed myself in an emerald green kimono with simple pink blossom petals, embroidered with an ivory trimming with the same color obi. Oba-san bought me these outfits, saying that in case I had to accompany her to a council meeting, I needed something to make me look presentable. My long pink hair was left open with a flower adorning my tresses. It was simple, yet, I liked it. Since this was a wedding, of one of my good friends at that, I applied some light make up. It was nothing ostentatious, I loved the natural look. Opening my closet doors, I wore a pair of simple zori sandals. My kimono was so long that I could even have gotten away barefoot if I wanted.

I checked myself out in the mirror one last time and walked out the door. It felt good to have something to do in the evenings. Whenever Oba-san was here, I was forced to sit home and find something productive to do, like read. This would be a good chance to meet and greet everybody! My pace quickened while walking down the street, heading towards the wedding venue. The event would start in fifteen minutes but I wanted to get there a little earlier to find my friends and grab a good seat. My mind drew a blank when I looked over my invitation to remind myself where I was headed.

"_Kikyo Castle…"_

Never in my nineteen years of life as I lived here did I know there was a castle here in Konoha. Although I recall Oba-san bringing it up once a while back, and she said there was a rumor that a shrine was located underneath. It's a touristy place for people to walk around and admire what's inside.

"_Maybe I could explore it afterwards!"_

As I walked towards my destination, crowds of people were literally running to the scene, bringing their cameras.

"_Ugh…uninvited guests…how are the Hyuugas going to keep them out?"_

In front of the castle, was Ayame-chan. As soon as our eyes met, she feverishly waved her hands around, gesturing me to quickly hurry inside.

"Saku! Come quick, Tenten is breaking down. Ino and Hinata can't help anymore. They've been at it for almost an hour."

"Where are they?" I asked her.

"Dressing room," she merely stated.

As all of the other guests gathered in the vast courtyard behind the castle, Ayame and I went inside. While walking to the dressing room, I couldn't help but notice the different kinds of artwork and statues displayed. There was a throne room, and surprisingly, everything remained in tact. The two of us walked upstairs into what looked like the king and queen's bed chamber and turned right into the queen's personal dressing room hiding a distraught Hinata, a screaming Ino, and a crying Tenten.

Ayame knocked on the door, even though it was already open, and said, "Guys, look who I brought!"

They all turned and both Hinata's and Ino's faces lit up at the sight of me.

Ino was the first to speak as she enraptured me into a big bear hug, "Saku! Thank Kami you're here! Tenten is a WRECK I tell yo-"

"Ino-chan!" Hinata warned, with her eyes looking back and forth between Ino and the bride.

"Well it's TRUE!" pig defended.

I walked over to the bride and bent down with her eye level. Thankfully, her make up wasn't ruined.

"Oh Sakura, I don't think I can go on with this marriage. Look there's a back door leading to the village road where I can walk all the way back home and be safe! Please I just-"

"Tenten! Answer this question: How long have you been with Neji?" I asked.

She subconsciously placed her finger on the tip of her mouth, "Uh…six years."

I nodded, "_Exactly_. The first two years or so I saw nothing but infatuation, years go on and both of you develop a deep-rooted love for each other. The way Neji looks at you, Tenten, he doesn't look at any one else that way. He's serious about you, we can all tell, and I'm sure you know it deep down. If you don't go on with this marriage, you'd be doing him as well as yourself a disservice. It's time that you take your relationship to the next level. I can assure you both that you'll remain happy together, you've chosen the right man."

Everyone in the room stared at me with their mouths open.

Tenten stared at her reflection in the mirror of the dresser, "I…I'm sorry you guys. I can't believe I thought about walking out on Neji. Maybe I've just got a case of the pre-wedding jitters?"

We all nodded in agreement.

"Great speech, Forehead! Didn't know you had it in ya!" Ino cheered, while applauding my spiel.

As Ayame and Ino touched up Tenten's hair and placed the veil over top of her head, I replayed my speech in my mind. Each and every word I said was painful to say. It was all for Tenten's benefit so she didn't make the biggest mistake of her life, but for me, I knew I'd never get that chance to love someone and gain their love in return.

Finally, Tenten stood up ready to walk down the aisle. She looked elegant and graceful. Her kimono was white, with a deep red obi around her waist, and lightly sketched rose-pink flowers embroidered on the silky fabric. Her hair was left open. She was stunning. Immediately, tears clouded my vision as I ran and joined our group hug, congratulating the bride.

"I'm ready," she said while walking out the castle doors, ready to marry the man of her dreams.

There was an order of people walking out starting with Megumi and Hanabi as the flower girls, Konohamaru the ring bearer, us three bridesmaids, Hinata as the maid-of-honor, and the bride herself who would walk alongside Gai-sensei. As strange as he may be, he served as her father figure. The bushy-browed man wouldn't stop gushing over her appearance, claiming how "youthful" she looked.

Before the doors opened revealing the courtyard where the ceremony would take place, I couldn't help but wondering whether I just helped people to solve their "love" problems.

"_Maybe…just maybe…my destiny is to be like that dove. Maybe it's to be the guardian of love, one who stands to protect it, to watch over everyone while soaring through the clear blue skies…"_

**Author's Note: **That was chapter 5! Next one should be up soon! Stay tuned and pleaseee REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW! Also, if you like, you can message me with ideas of your own that would help make this story better!

Hope to hear from many of you!

Tootles!

~Sweetness


	6. Two Everlasting Vows

**Author's Note: **Ohayo, minna-san! Sweetness here! I just reread all five chapters, and, I don't know about you guys but I really like it! I guess I will recognize those who have reviewed so far. Thanks a TON to the following: **MissLadyEmiko****, The 8****th**** Stone, Hotaru Himura, ****HomeSkillitBiscuit.93****, and mednin.**

You all rock! Now it's time for another chappie, let me know what you think!

**Chapter 6: Two Everlasting Vows**

A harmonious melody played as each of us filed out of the castle into the courtyard where we met all of the guests. From scanning the area, it seemed as if none of the women wore white. All outfits were displayed in an array of rainbow color, bright and beautiful. This may have had to do with the traditional rule of: only the bride gets to wear white on her special day. As Konohamaru reached the altar carrying the ring, a goofy laugh sounded not too far away from me.

It was Naruto, of course. He pointed and guffawed as the ring bearer looked away, ashamed of his open pant zipper. The red tinge on his cheeks caused Naruto to laugh even harder until Umino Iruka, sitting next to the blonde-haired buffoon, reprimanded him.

Sometimes Uzumaki Naruto can be _such_ a child. No, scratch that, he was born and will die as a child. It's in his nature. He could have at least restrained himself during the ceremony. Thankfully he quieted down afterwards and turned his attention to the flower girls dancing in some sort of coordinated pattern, throwing cherry blossom petals on the ground.

Next, the crowd focused on us three bridesmaids. Ino was on the left, Ayame in the middle, and I walked all the way to the right. Each of us carried bouquets holding birds of paradise flowers. Usually brides and their bridesmaids carry bouquets of more common flora like lilies or roses. I eyed the plant carefully. Both the colors and shape were striking and distinctive, spectacularly shaped like a bird's beak and plumage. It's become instinct that whenever a flower comes into view, I think back to my flower symbolism lessons with Yamanaka-san. I'm sure Ino is thinking the same thing.

A couple months back as Tenten was preparing for this wedding, she described to Ino and me why she planned on using these particular flowers. Apparently they symbolize freedom.

But the concept of freedom doesn't exactly fit in with marriage, does it?

I always thought that once a person was married, it was the end of his or her freedom. Tenten sees it differently. She says that she has the freedom to marry whoever she chooses, and look who she ended up with, a prince.

Now _that _makes more sense.

She also explained that the birds of paradise flower represents fidelity in a relationship. These two have been together for _six _years! There's nothing that could get in the way of their marriage. Neji and Tenten will look forever into each other's eyes and see no one else but each other.

Finally, the three of us reached the altar and stood to the side. I caught Sai winking at Ino who gave him a blow kiss. It made me giggle, seeing how silly that was. Suddenly, the sight of Tenten's white kimono caught my eye along with Gai-sensei's odd outfit. One would think that he would dress normally at a wedding, especially his pupil's, at that. Instead he walked beside the bride clad in an entirely black jumpsuit with white knee-high socks. It wasn't as repulsive as the green version of his hunter green garb, but this definitely stood out.

The funny thing was, Tenten didn't look the least bit embarrassed. She kept her big brown doe-eyes on Neji, who couldn't help but stare back in awe. Neji has _never_ been the type to smile, at least, as long as I've known the guy. His bride brought out that pure and genuine radiance hiding inside him. It's wonderful seeing how love changes people.

I just wonder sometimes if I ever got that chance to fall for someone, would it change me as well?

The mental question was left unanswered as I watched Gai-sensei let Tenten go in tears while she walked up to the altar and stood beside her soon-to-be husband. She could barely keep eye contact with him, it was the cutest thing. As Tenten's eyes wandered waiting for the Shinto priest to say a few words, Neji stared straight at her. In his opal eyes, held a look of determination. As if he was determined to make this marriage work for the two of them.

The priest's speech was boring and went on for close to ten minutes. I wanted to gently lay my head on Ayame's shoulder and drift off into a dream world, but this was the occasion to be courteous, so I fought the urge to sleep. Finally he finished and directed the couple to say their vows. Tenten started first:

"Hyuuga Neji, today I take you to be my husband. Together we will create a home, becoming a part of one another. I vow to help create a life that we can cherish, inspiring your love for me and mine for you. I vow to be honest, caring and truthful, to love you as you are and not as I want you to be, and to grow old by your side as your love and best friend."

There was a pause. Clearly, the two of them were communicating through their powerful eye contact. Neji's smile grew even wider, and a sparkle in his eyes became evident. He immediately took both of her hands and held them in his as he spoke his vow.

"Tenten, from the moment I first saw you, I knew you were the one with whom I wanted to share my life. Your beauty, heart, and mind inspire me to be the best person I can be. I promise to love you for eternity, respecting you, honoring you, being faithful to you, and sharing my life with you. This is my solemn vow."

They paused again while exchanging small, golden rings.

"Congratulations, you are officially husband and wife. Hyuuga Neji, you may kiss the bride."

Neji wasted no time in doing so. The two of them wrapped up in each other's arms was a beautiful sight. Everyone in the courtyard cheered. It truly was a festive occasion. The sight of them caused me to shed a tear, which did not go unnoticed by Ayame. She placed a hand on my shoulder in concern.

"Is everything okay Saku?" she whispered.

I nodded in assurance hoping not to draw attention to myself.

Immediately afterwards, Hyuuga Hiashi directed everyone towards the festival on the other side of the village. The bride and groom seated themselves in a carriage and strode off as the elegant, white horses pulled them. The rest of us trudged behind by foot. It wasn't so bad, the weather was beautiful and I got to walk alongside my friends literally squealing and gushing over how romantic their vows were.

It was true. Those vows were well thought of and beautifully spoken. Tenten must be one of the luckiest girls in the world, not because she's marrying a prince, but because she's found love. Standing there up close to the couple on the altar made me realize how pure and genuine their love really was for one another.

I couldn't help but smile at the thought. Before anything else came to mind, a camera flash surprised me, in turn, blinding my vision momentarily. As my eyes began to refocus, Ino sighed in frustration.

"Damn paparazzi…" she sighed in frustration.

"_Oh Kami…not them!"_

"Just _ignore _them, girls!" Hinata advised.

We nodded and continued on our way until more cameras flashed as other paparazzi members gathered around us.

"Why would you want to ignore us? We're the paparazzi! Your face gets to be all over the news. Oh, Gohachiro…check this out! The bridesmaids and, Konoha's very own princess, Hinata. Hinata-hime how are you?"

"Annoyed" she curtly replied as the four of us formed a chain with our hands, trying to make it to the festival without being trampled by the sea of people.

They wouldn't leave us alone. Thank Kami I never have to face this every day of my life. Poor Hinata!

This Gohachiro guy eyed the sacred Hyuuga medallion around Hina's neck, "Is this the sacred Hyuuga crest passed down from generation to generation? How wonderful! Say princess…you're single right? Why don't I take you out to dinner? Next Saturday night work for you?"

She gasped in disgust, "I don't even _know_ you! Let me be, plea-"

"Let her go, asshole," a voice commanded from behind.

We turned our heads to see the sun shining down on Uzumaki Naruto standing erectly with his sky blue eyes glaring at the fiend as his black bandana embroidered with the Konoha leaf symbol over his big blonde head flapped in the refreshing breeze.

The paparazzi member sneered, "Just who the hell are you?"

Naruto proceeded with his trademark adjusting of his bandana, using his thumb to point to the Konoha leaf symbol, and then giving us girls a thumbs up and a grin while introducing himself proudly. I stared back to watch Hinata's reaction.

It was exactly how I predicted. She stood frozen with her opal eyes opened wide. Her petite figure trembled in nervousness at the sight of Naruto. Hinata's originally wintry cream skin grew red, not pink, but a _fiery_ red. Sweat slowly trickled down her skin. Ayame removed a handkerchief from her purse and wiped down Hinata's steaming hot face.

Looking back at Naruto continuing with his heroic catch phrases and big talk made me want to shake my head in exasperation. If there was a kingdom of Oblivion, Uzumaki Naruto would be its all mighty ruler. Honestly, he's already nineteen. How has this guy not noticed all these years? Her infatuation is no needle in a hay stack I can tell you that right now.

"Hey weren't you the guy who interrupted the ceremony, rudely laughing your ass off in front of _the _royal family? More importantly, during the marriage of Prince Neji?"

Naruto scoffed, "_Hellooooo_? I was laughing at the ring-bearer, Konohamaru! He and I joke around a lot. I wasn't laughing at Neji! Yeesh…oh anyway, back off! The princess likes her space and privacy."

Gohachiro inched closer, "And just who are you to tell _me_ what to do?"

In response Naruto blinked for a couple seconds and instantly stepped forward, unfazed by the man's surprising question.

"Didn't she tell you?"

This caused everyone around us to stop what they were doing and listen in suspense.

"No, tell me _what_?" he asked with irritation while eyeing Hinata suspiciously who looked away from Naruto's direction, still red in the face.

Naruto paused momentarily, continuing to ponder his response.

"I'm her bodyguard," he stated simply.

All of us, including Hinata, looked at him strangely with our brows raised.

Gohachiro glanced at his partner-in-crime. Both smirked and laughed wildly, leaving the rest of us perplexed.

"What's so funny?" Naruto asked, suspicious of their behavior.

His upcoming burst of laughter vanished as the paparazzi member put on a serious façade, "You're her _only _bodyguard? She's a _princess_ you fool; she needs a group of ten men to guard her."

I caught a flicker of perturbation evident in Naruto's cerulean eyes. This was replaced by a confident expression.

"My strength is greater than the strength of ten men, dattebayo!"

Gohachiro and his fellow crony along with the rest of the crowd were not convinced. Naruto was in trouble.

"_Just how…how do I help him out of this mess?"_

Before opening my mouth to say something, Naruto beat me to it. He signaled to the two men to wait a second, grabbed Hinata's arm, and made sure she stood right beside him. He felt sure everything was going to work out, she on the other hand, was confused and a nervous wreck.

"N-Naruto-kun? What are you doing?" she asked.

He merely put his fingers to her lips and whispered, "I'm going to tell them…"

"T-Tell them w-wha-"

Naruto cut her off, "To you two gentlemen in front of me, as well as everyone else surrounding us, I want you all to know this: Hyuuga Hinata and I are engaged to be married."

It was as if everyone's eyes in the vicinity turned into big, water-filled, white balloons; popping out of their eye sockets. Frankly, I had the same reaction. Shikamaru, standing behind us, slapped his forehead.

"Dear Kami, Naruto…" he murmured.

"!" Hinata screamed, immediately fainting.

We all sweat dropped after watching her reaction. Naruto stood there awkwardly, rubbing his head, deciding whether or not to lift her up. He did so anyway, holding her bridal style.

Gohachiro and his friend exchanged surprised looks.

"Where is your engagement ring?" he asked, with a brow raised in suspicion.

Naruto faced the man, showing no emotion on his face, trying to play it cool.

"I can't afford it right now. That's why I took this job, so I could make some money since I'm broke."

He stumbled while speaking the next sentence, "I had no idea….I-I'd f-fall for her….a-along the way…"

It was the most awkward statement I have ever heard come out of Uzumaki Naruto's mouth. Secretly I hoped this Gohachiro would stop his questioning, but he continued anyway.

"If you love her so much…."

He paused, pondering something as the rest of us listened intently.

"Kiss her."

Along with the water balloon-like eyes, came wide open mouths.

"_He cannot get out of this….he's digging a deeper hole for himself! That idiot!"_

Naruto gazed upon Hinata's face as she slowly woke up and meeting Gohachiro's eyes saying, "Alright, I'll do it."

The flabbergasted expressions remained on our faces, watching the scene unfold before us.

Gohachiro spoke again, "Make it one like you mean it, how the two of you would kiss on your wedding day."

Hinata's opal jewels for eyes fluttered open, "D-Do what, N-Nar-"

He did it. Naruto wrapped his strong arms around Hinata's tiny waist. The kiss was deep, one filled with so much emotion pouring out from him inside of her. The depth of their "love" showed as she deepened the passionate public display of affection. Her arms snaked around his neck holding onto him for dear life.

"Oh…" Ayame started.

"My…" Ino continued.

"K-Kami!" I couldn't help but utter suddenly.

There were gasps and murmurs coming from the audience. Some cheered, excited for the princess while many scratched their heads wondering why the princess kept her engagement a secret.

Hinata and Naruto finally gave each other some breathing room. As the two looked into each other's eyes, she fainted again.

"Oh, Kami! You weren't bluffing! You two really _are_ engaged. Well congrats; this will look _great _in the next issue coming out in a week. Not to mention all over the Fire Country's very own entertainment weekly channel."

Naruto was oblivious, paying attention to the sleeping beauty in his arms. Tsunade arrived demanding what the hold up was for.

"C'mon everyone, get going! The newly married Prince and Princess are waiting for us."

Afraid of Tsunade-san's monstrosity, the giant crowd dispersed and headed for the festival taking place. The Hokage stood with her feet planted and hands placed on her hips, eyeing each of us dubiously. She pointed her neatly-manicured index finger towards Naruto.

"What happened? Why is she knocked unconscious?" she asked accusingly.

Naruto, suddenly aware of who was addressing him, jumped a bit and let go of Hinata who hit the ground. She was still, thankfully, in lala land and not woken up from the pain inflicted on her head.

"Ah, H-Hinata!" Naruto screamed in panic.

Before he could lift her back up, Tsunade said otherwise.

"Wait a minute. I don't want you dropping the Hyuuga heiress again. She can rest on old Lulu here," she said while placing Hinata with ease onto the horse's saddle."

Lady Tsunade climbed onto the horse while holding Hinata in place so she wouldn't fall, "There was a ruckus out here moments ago. After the festival, I'd like to know what exactly happened."

A bored yawn caused her to gaze into that particular direction.

"You'll find out sooner or later. It'll be all over the news by tomorrow," Shikamaru wisely informed.

Tsunade shot him a look as if saying, "What in the world are you talking about?" and rode off with everyone else in the group trailing behind her, leaving myself alone with Naruto.

He and I silently continued our journey towards the festival until I turned my confused little head and said to him,

"Just what were you even _thinking_? You've gotten yourself into a huge mess, Naruto. Even I can't help you out of this one."

He sighed, placing his hands behind his head.

"I…I don't know, Sakura-chan. That guy in the paparazzi was pissing the hell out of me. You saw it for yourself, he wouldn't leave Hinata alone!"

Typical Naruto…the guy _never ever _thinks things through before making a decision.

"Yeah, but, you don't go making false statements saying that the two of you are engaged to be _married_! Do you have _any _idea what's going to happen now, Naruto? Imagine what her _father_, out of all people, will think! You can't back out now and say this was all some lie. Now it's time to buckle down and deal with the decision you've made."

"How do I do that?" he asked, uncertain of how things would turn out.

"You act the part. You play the role of a _gentleman_ who will treat Hinata right. One who looks like he truly loves her."

He nodded, understanding what I was saying.

"Uh, Sakura-chan…that's great and all, but, if you've noticed I don't see Hinata in _that _way. I've never thought of her as anything more than a friend."

"You certainly convinced us with that kiss of, what was it? Oh yeah, TRUE LOVE."

He grinned, "That's one thing you don't know about me, Sakura-chan. I'm a _terrific_ actor. The look on their faces was _priceless_!"

Naruto didn't seem to be taking the whole thing seriously as I forewarned him, "Look…while you're playing your 'part'…please don't break her heart, okay? Hinata is very…uhh…how should I put this?"

We reached the site and I lost my train of thought as Naruto stared, completely enchanted.

There was the festival filled with crowds of people running, laughing, playing, and mingling. There were booths set up all over and rides enticing various crowds. Everything in this place really was a child's wonderland. Light-hearted music sounded everywhere, bringing a more fun-loving atmosphere to the place. I scanned for Hiashi and Hinata. Hiashi was nowhere to be found, clearly, amusement parks did not fit his definition of fun. The man must be back at the Hyuuga residence, working like a dog as usual. Hinata lay unconscious as Shizune-san and one of her assistants kneeled alongside her.

Both Shizune-san and her assistant wheeled Hinata onto a mobile bed, heading to the hospital. Before they passed Naruto and me, we asked about her condition.

"She's still unconscious. Don't know how this happened, but, Hinata's got to spend a night or so at the hospital for some further treatment. She should be just fine, don't you two worry." Shizune notified us.

Naruto and I sighed of relief as we watched Hinata and the nurses walk away. He finally turned to me.

"Sakura-chan…I'll be the best fiancée Hinata will ever have! I can you assure this. You have my word. I promise never to break Hyuuga Hinata's heart."

And suddenly I wasn't so worried anymore, because, Uzumaki Naruto won my trust as well as Hinata's.

**Author's Note: **Interesting chapter, right? Tell me what you thought of this! Well the next one should be up soon. Guess what? I graduate on Friday, June 10th! Sayonara, high school! However it's not Sayonara for you all, we still have a long way to go! Stay tuned for more!

Tootles,

Sweetness


	7. Finding Salvation and Purpose

**Author's Note: **Hola hola hola! Hope you guys are enjoying this story a whole lot. I would really appreciate it if y'all would review! I always love hearing from my readers. Message me if you'd like, too! I would like to get to know my fans as well! Oh and to continue the wall of recognition, which I'm going to start calling it now, thank you to Mednin and narutofreakX3. You're both my most recent reviewers, but I love you guys! If the rest of you would like a special shout out, please review!

Oh and to Mednin when you finish this chapter, please read my note at the very bottom. It will explain everything!

Here's chapter seven, enjoy.

**Chapter 7: Finding Salvation and Purpose**

"_Free_ ramen?"

Without hesitation, Naruto ran to the ramen stand where Teuchi-san would be serving him.

"Oh, I promised I'd help tou-san with serving customers! Catch you later, Saku." Ayame said and walked off in the direction towards the ramen stand.

I couldn't help but notice, as Naruto ate, crowds of people walking by and staring at him.

And no it had nothing to do with his monstrous appetite or his lack of proper dining etiquette. Moments ago, Naruto claimed to be engaged to Hyuuga Hinata. Everyone knew about his dark past and how he grew up as a poor orphan without a family. They must have been wondering how Hiashi let Hinata slip through his fingers and marry some penniless ragamuffin.

Thinking of today's events was driving me bonkers; I needed to keep myself occupied. Spending the whole day with all my friends was the best part, because, I never get to do it otherwise with oba-san around.

Speaking of which…I wonder how she's doing…

I shook my head fervently, keeping my eyes shut to get her image out of my mind.

"_You can deal without her. Enjoy the time now before she comes back."_

A smile resurfaced on my face while gazing at the festive sight before me. I had to hold in my laughter seeing Rock Lee having a staring contest with a clown. Lee, however, was no contender and the clown was pronounced victorious. Konoha's green beast shed tears of frustration and simultaneous determination making promises like:

"Gai-sensei I will not fail you any longer! Not only will I continue my taijutsu, ninjutsu, and genjutsu trainings; I will focus on the once thought trivial matters such as staring contests and balancing oneself on one foot while lifting the other!"

"_What a dedicated guy…" _ I couldn't help but think.

Watching each of my friends made me wonder whether they had _anything _else to do other than constantly fraternizing with the opposite gender. It's not like I had anything _against _men, I mean Naruto is one of my good friends for Kami's sake! They like to flirt, and that is their definition of "fun". Ino is that kind of girl for certain. There she is locking her arms with Sai and batting her lashes girlishly.

Ayame, like almost every other day, keeps her eyes set on none other than Hatake Kakashi. I've never met him in person, but his reputation as a highly skilled jounin ANBU member never ceases to escape me. He is known even in places farther than our very own fire country. This man is known worldwide for possessing the Sharingan, which is odd considering he was not born into the Uchiha family. Anyway with him having the ability to use this traditionally Uchiha Kekkei-Genkai, Hatake Kakashi has earned the moniker _Copy Ninja Kakashi_.

It never occurred to me that Ayame was into older men. I distinctly remember eating a bowl of beef ramen and picking one up for grandmother since she was in the mood for one at the time. Sitting next to me was a masked stranger with silver hair, clad in ANBU gear. Ayame placed Kakashi's miso soup on the counter as he removed his mask to taste it. Rock Lee, who must have seen me from afar, ran over and blocked my view of the soon-to-be-unmasked man.

"_Damn it, Lee! You ruined it!"_

Ayame must have been the only one who had seen his full face. She couldn't help but stare all goo-goo-eyed at him. Kakashi said a polite, "Thank you," to her and left while placing a generous tip in front of her. Thankfully, Lee left at that same time recalling some unfinished business to get done and how "unyouthful" it would look to leave this particular errand behind. Kakashi was all this girl talked about. This was over a year ago, and she _still_ stalks him!

Once, the green monster inside of her took control and refused to come to work a while back so she could walk around the village and locate Kakashi. Ino apparently told her he was into Mitarashi Anko.

And that was it; she hurried off to see if it was all true. Of course, she never found proof. The sycophantic fan girl went as far as seeking information from _the Hokage_ herself, who is aware of all the village gossip.

There is _always_ village gossip.

Apparently, there was nothing going on between them. They were only friends. Yet, Ayame made it her goal to compete with Anko in the culinary arts.

"No man can _resist _a woman who can cook. As they all say, 'A way to a man's heart is through his stomach'". She'd always remind me.

As much as I don't want to say it, since she's a good friend of mine, but how _pathetic_ is Ayame being?

I'm _not_ being hypocritical here. At least I never _stalked_ Sasuke, I'd just think about him off and on. Okay maybe not off and on, pretty often…almost everyday. Nevermind, now I can see she and I are both in the same boat. We were attracted to these two individuals because of their looks.

Thoughts of Uchiha Sasuke plagued my mind.

The only difference now may be that I don't think I harbor those same feelings anymore. The guy is a jerk. Yes, I know enough about his past to see where he's coming from but the way he treated me the other day was uncalled for. To tell you the truth, I'm not sure _what _I feel about him anymore. At least my silly childhood wish came true; I got to know the real side of him. Some aspects I could empathize with, and others, I disliked.

It shouldn't matter anymore. I saw him once. It's time to forget about him. We'll never see each other again.

"_I hope he finds peace with himself…"_

Before I knew it, the sun set and it was now time for the evening ball that would take place slowly. Everyone gathered in this banquet hall with beige marble floors, a Victorian-style chandelier hanging from the intricately-molded ceiling.

"_Looks like the wedding planner did a good job after all."_

Immediately the classical music started. It was almost like a draft, with people running to someone else and dragging them on the dance floor. Women went as crazy as fighting over a potential date. Things calmed down after a while and I leaned against the wall with my arms crossed watching each of the couples dance the night away. They were all natural born dancers. Never have I seen anything so elegant. The male partners held their dates close to their chest while wrapping one arm around their date's waist. The women in turn traditionally wrapped both arms around the men's necks.

It sort of reminded me of a ballet.

The way the couples stared into each other's eyes brought out that painful heart ache inside of me. It was the desire to have someone holding me close as well. I didn't want _just _a dance partner, but, a true love that would make me feel secure and cherished.

"_I hope I find him soon…"_

Suddenly a light tap on the shoulder snapped me out of my reverie. It was none other than Naruto who gave me a Cheshire cat-like grin, holding his hand out while expecting me to take it.

"Let's dance, Sakura-chan!"

Instead of me moping around all night, it'd be nice to have some fun!

"Sure, Naru-"

"Sakura-san!"

Naruto and I turned behind me, revealing Rock Lee. He gave me a thumbs up while grinning. I could have sworn shimmers and sparkles emitted from his pearly whites. This is where I'll give credit where credit is due. Rock Lee may not be the _best _looking guy out there, but, his teeth are the best in the village.

"Come; let us dance as much as our youthful feet can take! The night is young!"

Lee extended his arm, gesturing for me to go with him. I hesitated and automatically turned to Naruto who reached for my hand until the "third wheel" dragged me away. I shot him a sympathetic look as Naruto boiled over in sheer anger.

"You'll be the next dance," I whispered, earning a satisfactory look from my friend.

Before we danced, Lee ran over to the juke box on the other side and changed the song. As he ran back and grabbed my hands, the music started. It was _nothing _like you would dance to at a ball. This melody was too fast and carnival like. A few of the notes were scarily high-pitched and my ears took their time recovering from the loud ringing the music sounded.

"_Ugh…my head…_"

Before I could tell Lee to change the song, while everyone else glared daggers at him, he grabbed my hands and lead me to follow his footsteps. I always imagined a dance to be _both _people controlling how their movements went. With Lee, this whole thing just wasn't natural. We felt like robots, moving around without feeling or emotion. The thing is, Lee and I have been friends for as long as I could remember. We never shared that strong bond I had with Naruto, and, I never felt exactly comfortable around him because he made things so obvious about his feelings for me every time I was around. Girls made fun of me not only for how I looked in my awkward stage, but, everyone knew about Lee's feelings for me and laughed thinking that I'd always attract weirdos.

I used to act shallow and superficial, and eventually learned that's not the right way to treat people. As years went on, I got to know Lee on a more personal level. He was kind, sweet, and a true gentleman.

He had all the qualities I desired in a prospective husband, yet, we didn't seem to have a spark of some kind. It just didn't feel right.

At least, that's what _I_ thought.

The unfortunate part was, he kept the song on repeat. The two of us had been dancing for almost forty-five minutes! It was so long. Truthfully, I did not enjoy my time with him as much as I didn't want to say it.

"Hey, Bushy Brow! I still need my dance with Sakura-chan!" Naruto called out, making his way over to us.

Lee spun me around to keep me away from Naruto as I gave him a questioning look.

"Gomen, Naruto-san. I'm afraid Sakura-san and I aren't quite finished."

Naruto's fists clenched in impatience, "You've been at it for almost an _hour_, damn it!"

"_I think it's time I intervene."_

Before opening my mouth, a banana cream pie hit Lee's face who turned his head and glared.

It was Akimichi Chouji, standing behind the dessert bar grinning wildly. He had another cream pie in hand, ready to fire another in his victim's direction.

"Lee you're so annoying, can't you see Sakura doesn't want to dance with you? You can see it clearly on her face! Give the rest of us a break. We all hate your taste in music and the way you dance is a complete disgrace and embarrassment to the Hyuuga family!"

It took a lot of heart for Chouji to say that. Lee was left saddened, but his fiery expression appeared once he ran to another table and returned with an abundant bowl of hot and sour soup.

"Stand back, Sakura-san! If the round one wishes to fight then let him do so!"

Lee shut his eyes, trusting his "ninja instincts", and threw the bowl. When opening them back up again he had envisioned a crushed Chouji and himself dancing victoriously.

Clearly his daydream got himself in trouble when poor, innocent Hanabi stood there dripping wet in hot, spicy soup glaring and muttering curses at the green beast.

"H-How _dare_ you, you…creepy bowl-cut hair shaped FREAK! You ruined my dress!"

She covered her face, ashamed of everyone staring at her destroyed outfit which I assume her father paid so much for. Immediately her sobs subsided and rage consumed her. Hanabi grabbed a steaming bowl of rice from Konohamaru, who stood next to her, and tossed it at the two of us.

This child had one strong arm. Who knew she had it in her? The bowl was flying at us for what seemed like at an inhuman speed.

A pair of arms scooped me up and took me outside as I rubbed my eyes to see Naruto hovering above me. The moonlight shining in his ocean blue orbs certainly brought out their intensity. He lent a hand as I stood up while we watched the scene inside the hall unfold before us.

It seemed that a food fight had started. Lee had taken the most hits and crashed against the marble floor. I felt bad and made a move to help him; Naruto stopped me.

"Frankly, he deserves it."

I lightly punched his arm, "Naruto!"

Looking back at the commotion, I noticed Neji and Tenten joining in the fight. They seemed to be having a blast.

Wasn't it ruining their wedding night?

"_Guess not…"_

The classical music still played as Naruto and I could hear it in the distance. Clashing of plates and the laughter of the guests echoed throughout. That didn't bother the two of us as Naruto showed me the proper way to dance.

"_Since when did Naruto know how to BALLROOM dance?"_

Our movements were swift, yet graceful. It seemed as if the amount of hyperactive energy inside of Naruto poured out into me, since I was able to keep up with him. It wasn't the least bit romantic, which I was totally okay with. I had a lot of fun over the course of this what one could call a waltz. The hyperactive ninja made jokes as I laughed so hard we had to stop momentarily before getting back on track again.

What Naruto and I had was a pure, innocent friendship. There was nothing more to it. People thought so otherwise since we were almost always around each other, but, it would be too weird to see him in _that_ way.

Although I'll admit…he's quite handsome. Over the years his features refined and matured as he grew taller and became well built while undergoing all that training. I can see why Hinata has a thing for him. It has nothing to do with just his looks though. Naruto may not be the _smartest_ but he certainly is kind, caring, fun-loving, determined…anything you could ever ask for in a true friend.

There's no doubt Naruto reminds me of a big cuddly teddy bear I'd like to hug for comfort and security. The strange thing is, those two things are what I've been looking for all along.

Is that what it means to love someone? To provide them with comfort, security, and support? If that's it, then, Naruto takes the cake.

His next question made me rid of all these potential "love" thoughts from my head.

"Ano…Sakura-chan. Granny Chiyo won't be around until Sunday, so, maybe tomorrow…you'd want to…go out? Like on a date?"

My body stopped moving. Beads of sweat formed and slowly fell on the neatly cut grass beneath us. The only sound uttered was the howling of the wind, causing the tree leaves to rustle.

Questions and concerned thoughts clouded my mind. Just what was I supposed to tell him? Didn't he understand we couldn't be together?

Uzumaki Naruto gave me mixed feelings, feelings that stirred rapidly inside of me, feelings I didn't like one bit.

My temper took control, "No!"

He stepped back in alarm, wondering what had gotten into me.

"Don't you remember _anything _that happened today, Naruto? You belong with _Hinata!_"

Just how _dense_ could this guy be? After that long talk we had? After that oath he pledged?

He grabbed my hand and held it tightly, "And didn't you hear anything _I've _been saying? I don't see Hinata as anything more than a friend. Heck, all she does is stutter. She and I have _nothing_ in common. We're only 'friends' because of _you_, Sakura-chan!"

There was a long pause as Naruto hoped I'd say something, but there was nothing.

He continued, "I'll never love her. I'll never see her the same way I see you, Haruno Sakura. I'm only keeping this promise because _you_ asked me to. All this time we've known each other, I've seen sadness in your eyes. I want to _help_ you, Sakura-chan. I want to be _with_ you, so I can provide you with all the comfort and security you'd ever need."

"_He's been a really good listener all these years…"_

Naruto cupped my face in his large, calloused hands.

"I never knew how to say this, but, damn it I'll say it now…Aishiteru, Sakura-chan. I love you so much, it hurts like hell. You were the best thing that's happened to me since I left that orphanage. You've a true friend. Now it's time I return the favor. I know the reason why you don't tell me a single thing about your oba-san. It's because she's been a heartless, cold-hearted, _bitch_ to you hasn't she? You were not the person I once knew. Once she left and you've been spending your time with all of us, the old Sakura-chan had returned."

I nodded in agreement. He was right. Everything he'd said about me, it was all true.

"When she comes back, are you going to go back to your old lifestyle? Cowering in fear helplessly every day of your life? I'm not going to let you do that anymore. Since I love you so much, I'm giving you this choice: Marry me. I can run and get the priest if I have to, he's inside. He'll marry the two of us right here, right now if we ask him to. Please…I-I promise…I'll make you happy every single day of our life together. You and I _need _each other, Sakura-chan!"

The tears I held in throughout his speech began to fall.

Naruto asked me again, "Marry me….?"

My head involuntarily shook. More tears spouted from my eyes, clouding my vision.

Before uttering an answer, I ran like a coward, as fast as my feet could take me without looking back.

"_I can't look at him anymore…"_

My emotional state was unstable, causing me to trip over a log and roll down a hill, landing on a stone path.

"_I have to keep going…I have to keep running…h-he can't s-see me like this!"_

"**Stay away from men…"**

"**Never fall in love, Haruno Sakura…for it will only bring you pain…"**

"**Whatever feelings you have, you let them go…"**

Those were the haunting words I heard from Oba-san many years ago. They infiltrate my mind to this very day.

There was no one to help me. I couldn't even help myself. It was time I sought out salvation. That would keep me safe and secure for sure. The sky was dark, but thankfully, there were street lights that helped me find my way to Kikyo Castle. While Neji and Tenten spoke their vows, I couldn't help but notice a shrine behind them. As a child, I vaguely remember oba-san bringing me here for prayer. The hymns she chanted were in the form of an ancient language, like an older form of Japanese. I don't remember what specifically she said, but, immediately after a comforted smile formed on her face.

That was the first time I had _ever _seen her smile.

"_Maybe getting in touch with my spiritual self would help me…"_

Walking into Kikyo Castle gave me an eerie feeling but I continued along my way, thinking positive thoughts. I opened the back doors, remembering them from earlier today for the wedding ceremony, and entered meandering around the courtyard. Fireflies flew towards me and stopped as they headed into the direction of the shrine. The originally dark and damp space was lit up brightly, courtesy of these nocturnal luminescent beetles.

Slowly I approached it and sat down with my knees touching the ground while clasping my hands together.

"_Isn't this prayer formation?"_

Since there was no one else around to answer my question, I proceeded with my attempted form of worship.

"Oh, Kami…since the day I was born I've been cursed as a Haruno clan member. I've been cursed without parents, cursed with an abusive grandmother, and cursed with the inability to love anyone. Why must I continue living my life? What is my purpose? What shall I do once oba-san returns? Should I start my training with Tsunade-san to walk on the path of life as a shinobi? What's my destiny? Is it to wallow in misery forever or create a hopeful future for myself?"

So many questions…how can they be answered?

The only reply was the sound of wind chimes echoing throughout the shrine. As I looked into that direction, I noticed a white circle made of stone hanging from one of the wind chimes. What's interesting was that this circle served as my clan's emblem. It marked the back of many of my qipao-style shirts and dresses. Slowly, I walked up to touch it.

"**Haruno Sakura…?"** A shrill voice called as the wind howled.

Immediately my head snapped in all directions, wondering if someone was here.

Then the fear of the unknown jolted throughout my body.

"_Oh, Kami please don't let it be someone real from those ancient ghost stories grandmother used to tell!"_

The voice did not speak again and the fear of someone finding me here alone in the dark drove me to leave this unearthly place. Before I could step out of the shrine, I fell through the ground. It seemed as if the platform underneath my feet opened or disappeared. I screamed the whole way down frantically waving my arms hoping there was something I could grab and find a way to climb back up.

There was nothing. Just pure darkness; darker than the night sky. It was almost like I was in some black hole.

My panicking ceased once I landed safely with my body right side up, standing straight on the ground without any injuries.

"_Strange…"_

"**Come this way!"** This voice that spoke to me before ordered.

I obeyed and journeyed in the direction where it sounded. Once I crossed a certain point, torches lit with each step I took. As I turned a corner, my jaw dropped at the sight. The beauty right before my eyes was awe-inspiring. The room was still dimly lit, but, the layout and design was incredible. There were layers of a type of limestone; my guess would be travertine, molded into a mini staircase. Water cascaded down these steps and filled a medium-sized pond filled with water lilies. Beside the monumental structure were four Byzantine fire torches, two in the front and two in the back that would change color off and on from hot to cool shades. The multi-colored flames made the cascading water appear multi-colored as well.

Gazing up the steps, I noticed a diamond tablet with the same travertine surrounding it.

"_Hmmm…I wonder if something's written on the tablet."_

Since I was unable to use the staircase, because of the water, I climbed up a ledge and walked around to the top where I'd reach the tablet.

It appeared quite large once I got up close. The kanji, carefully carved into the diamond, was structured in the form of a poem interestingly enough. It read:

_Love is patient, love is kind.__  
><em>_It does not envy, it does not boast,__  
><em>_it is not proud.__  
><em>_It is not rude, it is not self-seeking,__  
><em>_it is not easily angered,__  
><em>_it keeps no record of wrongs.__  
><em>_Love does not delight in evil__  
><em>_but rejoices with the truth.__  
><em>_It always protects, always trusts,__  
><em>_always hopes, always perseveres.__  
><em>_Love never fails._

Never had I heard anyone or anything speak about love this way. Love clearly impacted the inscriber's life from the words and tone of the language.

"Love has undoubtedly failed me…" I couldn't help but murmur.

"**No it hasn't. You just haven't found it yet!" **the mysterious voice said again.

I turned my head sharply, hoping I'd catch whoever it was communicating to me.

"Okay, just _who_ are you? Reveal yourself at once!"

"**I'm right in front of you!"** a squeaky, high-pitched voice spoke.

My eyes shifted directly in front of me.

"I don't see you, whoever you are!"

"**Look more carefully this time! Perhaps kneel?"** the feminine voice replied.

"_Kneel?"_

I did as she said and knelt down gazing into the big black eyes of a dove.

"_A dove? Kami, I'm seeing it everywhere!"_

"Are you the voice that called me here?" I inquired.

The bird nodded, **"Hai…you're Haruno Sakura aren't you?"**

"I am…do you have a name or should I keep calling you birdy?"

She smiled sweetly, **"Call me Kobato! It's nice to finally meet you."**

"It's nice to meet you too, Kobato. Why exactly have you been following me around, and, why didn't you speak to me before?"

Kobato flew and perched onto a water lily, making herself comfortable there.

"**Well I wasn't sure exactly if you were Haruno Sakura. I figured it out once you walked in front of the shrine and touched the stoned circle. That allowed me to sense your presence. You see, only a Haruno clan member is able to enter this shrine."**

A glimmer of surprise and interest shown in my emerald eyes, "So, my grandmother Chiyo could enter if she wanted to?"

The dove nodded, **"No. She does not possess a pure heart, you do. Don't worry next time when you enter, you don't have to fall in; there are stairs that lead here."**

My eyes gazed around me again, "So this is the Haruno shrine?"

"**Precisely. Also, if you didn't know, the Haruno royal family used to rule Kikyo Castle. At one point, the palace was much bigger and grander than it is now. Seeing as how more room for the construction of the village was needed, most of it was demolished."**

"_Wow…"_

I spent the next five minutes rereading the poem inscribed onto the diamond tablet, questioning what its intent was. Kobato flew over and rested on my shoulder.

"**The message is beautiful, isn't it? The Sage of the Six Path's wife inscribed this poem herself. She was a believer in love being a foundation to create a society, more importantly, one with shinobi."**

"Wait a sec, Kobato. I thought the sage was the founder of the Uchiha clan," I reasoned.

My counterpart explained otherwise, **"You're half right. The Sage's wife died of an unknown illness after giving birth to her second son. Years passed and the Sage himself was dying. While on his deathbed, he asked his two sons how the ninja world should be ruled. The older son said strength was the only way while the second son believed love would create order within a society. The Sage agreed with his younger son and allowed him to rule. Once the Sage died, the older son became angry and fought with his brother for the throne."**

She paused, turning to face me, wondering if I had gotten lost in the story yet. The look on my face told her to keep going.

"**The older brother became the founder of the Uchiha clan, while the younger, was the ruler of the Haruno clan. Their descendants continued their feud, creating disparity between the two clans. As the Sage had wished, the Haruno clan ruled for centuries. Up until the rule of the first hokage, was a part of the Haruno clan lineage, the Uchihas led a coup and overthrew him. Konoha's reputation as a peaceful and harmonious land became tainted since the Uchihas quenched for ultimate power. These two clans fought. Many Haruno clan members died out, and the Uchihas, faced their demise during their massacre fourteen years ago."**

"How…sad…" was all I could say.

She agreed, **"Isn't it?** **And once these two clans died out, a small number of Hyuugas eventually grew in number and ruled Konoha for quite sometime until the political officials intervened and deemed it to be the end of monarchies. Back to your first question: the Sage was so in love with his wife and inspired by her message, namely the one written on the tablet, that he wanted to spread her message to all future generations."**

"I guess it never worked out," I added.

"**Well for the most part it didn't, but, there are people like you still around who believe in love and I think it's beautiful."**

"But people like my oba-san don't believe in love. She thinks love is _pain_. All of my childhood that's what she's ingrained into my brain. How painful of a life is that? I can't fall for _anyone_. What is life worth living without love? I'm sure since you know so much about the Haruno clan, you must be well informed of the curse placed upon me."

I walked over to the ledge and sat while letting my legs hang from it. Kobato sat atop of my head.

"**The Sage's wife didn't say 'Love never fails' without a reason, ne Sakura-chan?"**

"_She does have a point…maybe she's implying there's someone for me after all?"_

Naruto's image entered my mind suddenly.

"_Ugh…GO AWAY!"_

I switched the subject, hoping to get him out of my head.

"Kobato, not to be rude or anything, but why are you here?"

Her response was not as I expected, **"I was hoping you'd ask that question! I'm here to guide you on a mission. Your oba-san was once a beautiful human being, both in and out. She's not the same anymore. For both your sakes, I want you to locate one member each of ten clans here in Konoha. Each of these individuals holds darkness in their hearts that needs purifying. By healing each person, you will gain a shard. You need all ten. This way, you will be able to heal your oba-san. You are the chosen one. Your heart is pure enough for this job, I entrust you Haruno Sakura. Along the way, I shall accompany you. You're the only one who can hear me since the two of us are speaking telepathically."**

"I'm very well aware of that, Kobato-chan. Can you tell me what the ten clans are?"

"**Gomen Sakura-chan, I'm not sure. I will also warn you that this task will not be easy. Konoha is the largest hidden village around. It may take a while to find these ten people. Also, this mission requires patience. Results will not come automatically. Some of these clan members may not be willing to let you into their personal lives. There are many more things I have not told you yet, but trust me, you'll find out when the time is right."**

"Where will I find you in case you're not around?"

She giggled softly, **"I'll always be around, Sakura-chan. Think my name, speak my name, yell my name and I'll be here by your side. I'm a spirit, remember? I'm omniscient, I see **_**all**_**."**

"I'll do it. I'll finish this task and collect all ten shards. I won't give up! That is my nindo, my ninja way."

I wasn't a ninja yet, but, this was a start!

**Author's Note: **This was a LONG chapter! One of the longest I've written so far, it's taken almost the entire day to write this! To those who are _dying _for Sasuke's presence, do not worry! I promise you he'll be in the next chapter. I had to get this one done just to clear things up in the story and start Sakura's actual adventure. Next chapter will be devoted to SasuSaku! Well it won't be SasuSaku just yet because we need time for their relationship to develop, remember? What I mean is, he will for sure make his appearance. Oh, and sorry for the NaruSaku bit if it made any of you uncomfortable. For those who love this pairing, then, glad you're happy! For those diehard SasuSaku fans, like myself, this fic is all about them don't you worry your pretty little heads.

You are all awesome and PURTY PLEASE I would appreciate it if you would review! I prefer DETAILED reviews just to let you know. I'm not saying write a novel, but, you get what I mean!

Stay tuned the next one should come out soon! I'm shooting for this weekend. I'm graduating this Friday just to remind you guys, hehe! Finally the end of high school!

Tootles,

Sweetness


	8. Yin and Yang

**Author's Note: **Hey everyone! First of all I just want to say thanks to the following who have reviewed:

**MissLadyEmiko**

**The 8th Stone**

**Hotaru Himura**

**HomeSkillitBiscuit.93**

**Mednin**

**Narutofreakx3**

**Pretty Blossom**

**TwilightMelodiac**

Thank you all so much! I love you guys :D Don't wanna waste anymore time, let's read people!

**Chapter 8: Yin and Yang**

My fingers traced the inner cracks of the walls as I continued walking down the mysterious corridor with Kobato by my side.

Kami only knows where this will take us.

"How long has this place been around?" I asked curiously.

Seriously, I felt like an archeologist excavating unknown terrain, ancient stuff, or whatever archeologists look for. Thankfully there was a knowledgeable spirit with me, otherwise I would have been lost and scared.

As my feet moved, aware there was barely any light to help us navigate where we were going, pieces of gravel and small pebbles moved around.

Kobato flew in front of me so I could follow her without hurting myself, **"Since the birth of the Haruno clan's first generation. They came after the Sage's second's son's death. The Haruno and Uchiha clan's have been fighting for so long, and since they didn't trust one another, they built these separate shrines for secret meetings."**

My interest switched from my clan's history to this dove accompanying me, "So…Kobato-chan…how long have you been around? No to be more specific, if you don't take it the wrong way, how _old_ are you to be more exact?"

She paused before answering my question. Maybe she was counting all those thousands of years she's been around?

"**Old enough to be your grandmother," **she simply stated.

"_Well my oba-san is quite old…"_

There was a long silence. It wasn't awkward at all, well, considering I wasn't with a human being. For a dove as small and simple as Kobato-chan, she was beautiful. This creature held within her an essence of innocence. Or maybe _that_ wasn't even the right word. There was this purity inside of her that was untainted. The amount of goodness she possessed touched the heart of others.

That was the affect she had on me. Maybe Kobato-chan was the answer to my prayers. If not all, she has answered some of my questions.

I think I know what my destiny is, and now, instead of wallowing in sorrow as I've done all these years…it's the perfect opportunity to create a hopeful future for myself _and_ oba-san.

The thought of "purifying" her made me want to squeal and jump for joy! My heart beat faster excited for this new adventure brought upon me.

Kobato-chan noticed my increased positive aura, radiating off of me.

"**It's not going to be easy, Sakura-chan. I'm warning you **_**now **_**so you don't complain later!"**

Rolling my eyes at her motherly behavior, I skipped past her like a carefree child.

"**Sakura-chan, be careful! You don't know this shrine like I do. You could get yourself hurt!"**

"Yada yada…I know what I'm doing. If you haven't noticed, I'm pretty responsible and independent."

It was quite amusing watching Kobato roll her eyes and furrow her brows since I usually see human beings do these kinds of things.

"**From all those helpless questions you asked 'Kami', you don't seem like you've been helping yourself all these years."**

I glared as she innocently smiled and looked away, pretending nothing happened.

"**Anyway…Sakura, I can almost **_**guarantee**_** you that there will be evil forces at work. It's not just those ten clan members that will pose problems. I sense a great dark energy that wants what you and I are after. Whatever you do, you **_**must**_** remain strong-willed and refuse to give up at all costs. My suggestion is for you to take on the training opportunity Tsunade-sama has offered you."**

My emerald orbs grew wide, as Tsunade-sama offered this opportunity to me in secret.

"H-How did you…?"

"**I'm an all knowing spirit, remember? Anyway, this training you will undergo will benefit you greatly. If I know Tsunade, she may even make you stronger than she is."**

My zori sandals stopped in their tracks, thinking over Kobato-chan's statement.

"_Surpassing Tsunade-san? That would take a miracle…"_

As if reading my mind, she replied, **"I know you can. I'm sending you on a mission no one else is capable of accomplishing, but you. Clearly Tsunade saw your potential and wants to harness your techniques to the best of their abilities. If the two of us believe in you, you should believe in yourself, Sakura-chan."**

I nodded in agreement while moving again, letting the dove lead the way.

As we resumed on our "journey", the walls continued looking the same. Everything seemed as if it was all moving quickly past me. Slowly, as time passed, my eyelids grew heavy.

"_Ugh…I'm so tired! What a day…"_

"Hey, Kobato-chan? Would you mind leading me out of here so I can get back home? I'm exhausted."

"**Sure thing, Sakura-chan! I'm not even sure why we bothered walking further. There's not much here other than the main room holding that tablet. You know throughout the entire Haruno clan's existence-"**

Frankly, I didn't want to hear anymore of Kobato's incessant babbling of my clan's history. The only thing on my mind right now was sleep, and sleep I will get the faster I leave.

My hands gripped the walls to provide support for my sleep-deprived body. I could've slept here in this cold, dark _dungeon_ if I wanted to!

The minute I placed my entire hand, palm face open, the entire bricked section opened side ways. My back leaned against it and peeked inside the dark entry way it revealed. Suddenly, the wall reversed and forced me to the other unknown side as I gasped in fear.

The only other sound I heard was Kobato stop lecturing, wondering where I went.

I dared not look behind me. My face continued to face the brick wall. Although, the overwhelming darkness prevented me from realizing what kind of material the wall was made from.

All I had left was to rely on my senses, other than sight. My feet spread apart slightly as I moved in union with the solid rock wall.

"H-Hel-lo? I-Is anyone…t-there?" I whispered, half hoping someone would and wouldn't hear me.

"**Sakura-chan? Are you on the other side of the wall?"**

"_Kobato! Thank Kami!"_

"**Are you alright? Don't worry I know exactly where you are!"**

"Where am I?" I spoke softly, still fearful of an unknown presence.

She paused and spoke with an uncertain tone,"**You're in a secret hideout of one of the clan members. The only problem is I have no clue where you should go. Gomen, Sakura-chan!"**

"I thought you were an _all-knowing_ spirit! Whatever happened to that, huh?"

Kobato retorted defiantly, **"Maybe not ALWAYS, alright? Just get moving and you'll be out soon enough!"**

"_Like you're any help…"_

Thankfully when I got to a certain point, like back in the other room I was in, the torches lit as I wandered around.

My heart thumped louder with each step I took. I was both slowing down and speeding up, trying to get out as fast as possible but at the same time hoping not to catch anyone or anything's attention. Strangely enough, the path I followed was a dead end. While turning the balls of my feet to go back to where I started, the seemingly "dead end" wall protruded and trapped me on the other side yet again.

"_Please tell me it's not going to be some labyrinth I'll remain stuck in!"_

At least light illuminated the area once I reached this mysterious part of the shrine.

Or was it still part of the shrine?

"_Who knows, I just want to go! I'm so freaking tired!"_

Never have I been so cranky in my life.

I noticed the shadows of flames dancing not too far away. My instincts told me to follow them, so I listened. After turning a corner, an entirely concrete room came into view. Dead smack in the middle was a paper scroll pasted onto the wall, and a much larger stone tablet on the floor beneath the scroll. It certainly was not as appealing as the diamond tablet back in the Haruno shrine. The two dancing flames I saw earlier were spread out on different sides of the room.

Slowly I approached the scroll and tablet, trying to decipher what was written. The strange thing was, this was not what one could call "normal" kanji.

By looking at the writing, it felt almost as if I had forgotten how to read. It was a much more complicated form of Japanese. My index finger slowly traced the kanji carvings, hoping to read each alphabet one by one and decode the inscribed message by sounding things out.

It didn't work out that way, for my mind had drawn a blank.

"What are you doing here?" a masculine voice hissed, causing me to turn and shrink in fear.

My throat suddenly became too dry to speak. I instead continued walking backwards and eventually hit the wall.

"I asked you a question. Just what the hell are you doing here?" he asked me again, this time with his body directly in front of mine, with his hands on the wall, placed on either side of my head so I wouldn't escape.

Remember when I said I was tired before? I'm wide awake now!

"_K-Kobato? P-Please help me!"_

She responded immediately to my plea,"**Sakura-chan! I've found you, thank Kami! It's taken me so long to sense your presence, I'm not sure why. I feel a dark presence around this guy. He's dangerous. Just answer his questions, do what he says, and get out safely."**

"G-Gomen…S-Sasuke…"

His menacing Sharingan disappeared replacing a softer pair of onyx orbs. He was no longer angry, and instead, reverted back to his rather indifferent manner I had witnessed when we first met.

"You didn't answer my question," he snapped with his arms crossed, losing his patience with me.

"**What an **_**ass**_**! You shouldn't put with this, Sakura-chan! Say how you feel!"**

I scoffed, "No! I don't want to get myself _killed_!"

Sasuke raised a brow in suspicion, "Excuse me?"

Immediately realizing that Sasuke was not aware of Kobato, I panicked and tried to come up with an excuse for my sudden outburst.

"Uh…"

A minute passed and the two of us remained quiet with Sasuke's leery expression still plastered onto his face.

"_I can't stand the way he's looking at me! It's like he thinks I'm some moron or something!"_

"**Well you were talking to some spirit who only exists in your eyes."**

I ignored Kobato's comment and proceeded to bravely answer the Uchiha's question.

"I…got lost…" was all I could say.

"**You got lost? You got **_**lost? **_**What kind of a **_**pathetic **_**excuse is **_**that**_**?"**

My patience was wearing thin. Guardian or not, she will face my wrath if she doesn't stop bothering me.

"Kobato, what part of _shut up_ don't you understand, damn it!"

A smirk suddenly formed on Sasuke's face, "I see you've got an imaginary friend?"

My mind finally registered as to what he was referring to, "Oh, n-no…I'm just…exhausted! It's been a really long day. I need to get home soon. Anyway…what are _you_ doing here, Uchiha?"

"This is the Uchiha shrine. I come here everyday, for meditation purposes."

He pointed to the two Uchiha fan symbols painted onto either side of the scroll plastered on the wall. I sweat dropped in response, thinking, _"How in the world do I keep missing the Uchiha fan symbol?"_

"What are these things?" I asked him while walking over and pointing to the scroll and tablet on the other side as he slowly followed me.

"The scroll displays historical information of the Uchiha clan. It talks about our mission and our duties towards Konoha. The stone tablet holds the secrets of the Rinnegan, the greatest of all three dojutsu. The others being the Byakugan and the Sharingan."

"What does it look like?" I asked, with my eyes shifted from the tablet to his onyx orbs.

"It's a much more powerful version of the Mangeyko Sharingan. Its power is incredible. Only one man in all of Konoha's history has managed to master it: the Sage of the Six Paths. It has a ripple-like pattern around the pupil, with a light purple iris and sclera. The raven, our deity, possesses the Rinnegan. This is partially the reason why the Uchihas have worshipped this creature, in hopes to gain the Rinnegan."

"_Ripple-like pattern…purple…raven…..? Wait a minute! So those ravens I encountered in front of the Naka Shrine used the rinnegan on me?"_

Instead of telling Sasuke that I was suddenly transferred into this mysterious spiritual world with the master of all ravens, I kept my mouth shut and proceeded to ask him another question instead.

"So…what's the likelihood of you ever possessing the Rinnegan?"

Interestingly enough, Sasuke didn't mind answering my questions. He was a lot more open than I imagined him to be.

His eyes flickered to the tablet behind me, "Kami only knows. Its occurrence is so rare that many people once believed its existence was only a legend or a mutation. My brother Itachi once told me the secret to becoming powerful was to gain the Mangeyko Sharingan. I finally achieved it after all this time, but, I still feel incomplete. I need more power."

My body trembled in fear, sensing Sasuke's killer intent. He was scary.

"Once I possess the Rinnegan, I will be able to read this tablet containing its secrets. Then, I will become the most powerful shinobi the world has ever seen, and this will bring honor to the Uchiha name."

"So that's your biggest dream?" I asked him.

He paused, with the only sound being the crackling of the fire. The radiance and brightness of the light brought out his handsome features, yet, revealed the darkness and tragedy of Sasuke's life through his eyes.

"It's an ambition," he merely stated.

Silence was brought upon us yet again until something about me sparked the man's interest.

"What's yours?" he asked, with his eyes staring back, soft around the edges.

I didn't even have to think about what I wanted to say. The words automatically escaped my lips.

"To be strong."

"How exactly do you plan on doing _that_? Your chakra levels are below average. How do you expect to perform jutsus otherwise?" he posed the question scornfully.

Before I could even come up with an answer, Sasuke continued to speak.

"You're not a shinobi, are you?"

"No…" I replied, almost shamefully.

He smirked, that devilish smirk I was growing irritated with, "Oh that's right. The Haruno clan clearly was not capable of physical combat. Such naïve people you were…peace? Love? Harmony? There will _always_ be conflict. It's human nature. We are naturally cruel and wicked. I guess that's why it didn't take much for the rest of your clan to realize this once they died out."

"_What a BASTARD!"_

My fists clenched, restraining myself from delivering a punch. Although…Uchiha Sasuke could've taken me down any day.

"What's your _problem?_ You're so bitter about everything! Sure physical strength helps somewhat, but what I really want is emotional and mental strength. I've put up with so much crap in my life, and it's time I take a stand now and do something about it. You know nothing about me and my life. So you, Uchiha Sasuke, should shut your mouth."

"**You tell him, Sakura-chan!"**

I tried my best not to smirk triumphantly at him, but did so anyway.

He raised a brow and simply refused to wipe off that smug look on his face,"You're quite amusing when you're mad."

I, "hmped" and crossed my arms, looking away immaturely.

"_Just who does this guy think he is, the Hokage?"_

Sasuke leaned against the concrete wall with his eyes fixated on me, "Since you claim to have a crappy life, don't you think you already possess mental and emotional strength?"

This guy stumps me with every question he asks.

A sigh escaped my lips thinking of a prime example which happened earlier this evening.

"Well…not really. Like today, for instance, a good friend of mine confessed his love for me and how I should marry him to escape the hardships of my life. I didn't say anything and instead ran away without looking back…how awful is that? Aren't I a horrible person?"

Sasuke's stoic expression remained on his face, "very" he said as his tone dripped with sheer sarcasm.

All I could do was roll my eyes in response.

"Who's this friend of yours?" he asked.

"Promise you won't tell this person what I said!" I pleaded.

The Uchiha merely raised a brow and smirked again, but deep in his eyes, I spotted an inkling of trust and sincerity. I thought about it for a moment, just who would he tell anyway? He lives secluded from everyone else in the village, doesn't like to socialize, and most likely doesn't have a clue who Uzumaki Naruto is.

"His name is Uzumaki Naruto. He's an aspiring Hokage and one of my best friends. We've known each other since elementary school."

A sparkle of recognition twinkled in his dark eyes, as his mouth formed an "O" shape. Sasuke merely chuckled at the person I referred to.

"It's not funny!" I defended.

His chuckle turned into a laugh. This was quite a sight seeing Uchiha Sasuke grip his chest, trying to control himself.

"T-The _dobe_?" was all he could muster.

This time, it was my turn to do the questioning.

"You know Naruto?"

Sasuke's miraculous laughter ceased, "Who doesn't know the idiot?"

"_The idiot?"_

My mind replayed previous flashbacks, demonstrating Naruto's foolishness.

"_I can see why he calls him that."_

Sasuke immediately looked away and stared at the fire, to the side of him.

"I…don't usually tell people this…but…" he started.

"Go on…" I urged with a mischievous glint in my eye, catching his face flushing red.

"He's my closest friend."

As Sasuke declared this statement, there were no smirks or smug looks. Just plain sincerity in the smile he gave. You could tell by the way it lit up his cold, dark eyes.

Thinking of Naruto brought a smile to my face as well, yet, an upsetting feeling that wouldn't go away.

All because I broke his heart.

"But you're so different from each other…how did the two of you become friends?"

Sasuke's genuine smile dwelled as he answered my question in detail, "We met in middle school, during the academy days. He and I were placed on the same two man squad along with our jonin leader, Hatake Kakashi. From the start, we hated each other. I was annoyed with his idiotic outbursts and childish antics, as he grew jealous of my overbearing popularity in both looks and skill."

"_Cocky, aren't we? Looks like he knew from the start he was drop dead gorgeous."_

"**He makes me so sick hearing him talk! Get out while you can, Sakura-chan! This Uchiha is all wrong for you, he won't make you happy!"**

"Kobato!" I shrieked, removing thoughts of ever pursuing the Uchiha from my aching head.

"_I hate this guy, alright? I'm here just to be nice! Don't go making assumptions that I like him. Maybe I did once before, but hell, not now and never again!"_

There was no reaction from Kobato as I turned to face a confused and wide-eyed Uchiha Sasuke. He merely scratched his head and commented on my sudden spasm.

"You know if you'd rather go and spend time with your friend, who I'll inform you, is _imaginary_, then-"

"No!" I interrupted as tiny sweat droplets percolated from my palms as I wiped them against my kimono.

"_Looks like that's going to need a good wash…"_

He eyed me suspiciously once more and continued his tale of everlasting friendship, "Kakashi not only taught Naruto and me a variety of skills and techniques, but also, instilled the value of team work within us. I was never receptive to the idea until we tested it out on missions. We were faced with life threatening situations. My advanced skills would be of no use to me alone, I needed Naruto's help. As we grew up together, we opened up with each other and eventually found out that we were the same."

This story was so…intriguing. I was literally hooked on every word Sasuke spoke.

"I regret not putting any effort into making our friendship work before. All I did was sulk and train, in hopes to defeat Itachi. I achieved this ambition, yet, there was nothing left. Then it was decided that I work to gain the possession of the rinnegan. Naruto found me, drenched with blood and crying hysterically. He reached for my hand…and I took it. My body acted on its own, it seemed to be telling me that I needed true friendship to guide me. Naruto promised he'd never let me fall into despair again. That once I came back to Konoha, I'd be happy and find a new purpose."

"Are you happy?" I asked him.

He paused, a long pause. I noticed Sasuke's onyx eyes clouded full of thoughts.

"No," the man affirmed.

"Why not? Haven't all the promises Naruto made have been met? As a close friend of his, you should know he _never ever_ goes back on his promise."

"Because that's his nindo," Sasuke added.

We gazed into each other's eyes again, a flash of a mutual acquaintanceship beginning to form.

"**Looks like Naruto has unified the two of you somehow!" **Kobato chirped.

This time I didn't scream at her, both inwardly and outwardly, I merely thought her statement over again. In a way she was correct. Naruto was the reason why Uchiha Sasuke and I are still in the same room talking to one another.

It was so strange how this whole situation seemed to turn up so suddenly. At one moment the two of us were on the verge of eating each other alive, and the next, we were somehow at peace. The two of us, weirdly enough, found comfort.

"_All because of Uzumaki Naruto?"_

"**No," **Kobato said, discontinuing my thoughts.

"**It may have started with Naruto, but, I think the two of you are slowly understanding your differences with each other. Weren't you paying attention to Sasuke-san's story at all? There's a moral to this tale!"**

"_Oh so now he's Sasuke-SAN to you? I thought you said he makes you sick?"_

She wittily answered back, **"Sasuke-san indeed brings up a valid point! Looks like he wasn't kidding when he said he was popular for his looks and skill! I know he may not be the friendliest guy around, but he befriended Naruto out of all people. This shows the Uchiha clearly has a heart and his insightful wisdom is worth respecting, that's why he deserves the title I now bestow upon him. Anyway, getting off track here, I think you two will gradually transform each other even though you're so different. It happened over the course of his friendship with Naruto."**

It's true…we're so different. Like fire and ice…no…like a raven and a dove!

"**Don't forget Yin and Yang! The two spiritual elements that are **_**the**_** prime example of polar opposites, yet, are capable of coming together to produce a beneficial change."**

"_What kind of change?"_

"**Perhaps…a change in each other? Think about it, your personalities are the complete opposite. Your feminine touch and optimistic ideas could bring about Sasuke's positive qualities while his masculinity and grounded opinions may as well channel your dark, negative feelings left behind in your past to make you stronger."**

She added an interesting historical fact to back up her statement, **"The Sage of the Six Paths developed the concept of Yin and Yang. Once he died, and his sons fought, those two forces separated. These ideas were meant to coincide together, and since they were not, brought conflict in the fire country between the Haruno and Uchiha clans. Interestingly enough, the dove spirit was somehow derived from Yin as the raven was from Yang."**

Kobato is like a flying textbook. Many words were thrown at me, but, I comprehended everything Kobato explained.

Before I could say anything else, Sasuke further elaborated on his answer to my question earlier.

"Naruto may be a close friend but he can't provide true understanding and acceptance to make me happy. He tries to change me, rather than accepting me for who I am. It's possible he knows of my quest to gain more power. He most likely thinks this desire has vanished since Itachi's death. I can't tell him of that aching feeling to walk back onto that path again. He would never understand. He's never known what it's like for someone to have wronged him. Only I know that pain."

I wanted to tell Sasuke he was completely wrong and inform him of my inner conflict, but, my oncoming tears wouldn't allow me to speak recalling my dark and lonely past. Briefly I turned away from him to focus on something else, and then, shifted back to his attention.

Sasuke continued his grave speech, "He thinks by just ignoring my pain I can instantly become a better person. The dobe doesn't know a damn thing about me, about this inner conflict I've had for years. It won't go away…it haunts me. My heart is constantly battling whether I should remain here in Konoha and live a peaceful life or train even harder, obtain the rinnegan, and bring honor to the Uchiha name."

It seemed like he was waiting for an answer from me, all I could muster was, "Why are you telling me these things?"

Sasuke had no difficulty in responding back, and his ego allowed him to surprisingly say,

"Because I trust you."

My eyes solely blinked, taking in that simple sentence. I didn't want to continue questioning or thinking anything he said. I just wanted to go home and sleep.

The Uchiha continued leaning against the wall, staring at me intently. Almost as if it were a piercing gaze.

I didn't like it.

"Uh…a-ano…I'm sorry to interrupt but…I need to get home. Would you mind showing me the way out?" I asked hesitantly, thankfully able to control my twiddling fingers.

Kami, I felt like Hinata!

He nodded and led me the way out of the shrine without a word. The journey back was silent and dark. I had to listen closely to his footsteps to help guide my way back. He stepped slowly so I could keep up with him.

Sasuke opened some sort of a trap door, climbing out as I followed behind. We stood outside the Naka Shrine. A weird feeling of déjà vu washed over me as I remembered being here early this morning with Tsunade-san. I decided to leave all the questioning for Kobato-chan tomorrow, I was too exhausted.

"Arigato…Sasuke-san," I said.

He remained quiet, as usual. The smirk forming on his lips signaled a, "You're welcome." With Uchiha Sasuke, from what I've learned in this short amount of time I've known him, body language is the key to understand how he works.

"Sasuke…I was wrong after all."

The said man gazed upon my face with a questioning look and his eyebrows rose, probably thinking, "What is she talking about?"

"We saw each other again," I said.

The inquisitive expression soon formed an attractive smirk on his moon lit face, most likely thinking I just stated the obvious.

My smile grew even wider as I asked this next question,

"Will we…meet again?"

"_Great work, Sakura! Now you just embarrassed yourself! He's a jerky jerk-faced JERK. Why would you want to see him again? You don't remember? This will be the last time, EVER!"_

I quietly agreed with my inner tirade and watched Sasuke's reaction.

"Tch…dobato."

My eyes moved towards the night sky, rethinking his response. As I looked back in front of me to ask Sasuke what he meant by that…

He disappeared.

**Author's Note: **Hellooooo! Hope you all liked this chapter! It took a lot of time writing this. For all those who craved Sasuke, hope you're all happy! He plays an important role in this fic, so he'll come up more often. ALSO, I am officially a high school graduate! My commencement was last Thursday! It feels so good to be done! My birthday is on the 22nd of this month, I'll be turning 18! So it's all pretty exciting stuff happening. One last thing…I will not be updating UNLESS I get at least ten reviews for this chapter. I feel like I'm not getting enough. I waste brain energy to come up with this plot line, people! It sort of irks me to see over a hundred people reading my story (and I know this because I check my story's traffic) and barely anyone reviews! To those people who do, thanks so much, as you know you are on the wall of recognition. Tell me what you like about the story so far, your fave character, part so far, what you would like me to include, and things I could improve on!

Stuff like that, you know? It would make me smile! Once I get those ten reviews, I will for sure update okay?

I love you guys with all my heart. Even for those who don't review, thanks so much for reading!

~Sweetness


	9. Leading a Disgraceful Legacy

**Author's Note: **Ohayo everyone! Again I will thank the following on the legendary wall of recognition:

**MissLadyEmiko**

**The 8th Stone**

**Hotaru Himura**

**HomeSkillitBiscuit.93**

**Mednin**

**Narutofreakx3**

**Pretty Blossom**

**TwilightMelodiac**

**TheBloodyLoveOfSakuraHaruno**

**isunshine**

You guys are absolutely amazing folks! Special thanks to** TheBloodyLoveOfSakuraHaruno **for writing EIGHT reviews. That's the most I've gotten from anyone. So kudos to you! Thanks for the congratulations by the way! Congrats to you as well, you'll enjoy your senior year. It's quite fun! Another shout out to **isunshine! **You are the first to make an effort to message and get to know me! You absolutely rock! To everyone else out there reading this story, seriously, message me if you'd like! As I've said so many times before, I love hearing from my readers. I'd like to get to know you all. After reading this chapter, hopefully more of you will review!

**Chapter 9: Leaving a Disgraceful Legacy**

"**Wake up, you're **_**late**_**!" **

Slowly, my emerald orbs fluttered open. Kobato-chan stood perched on the windowsill by my bedside.

I flopped myself over, making sure my back lay on the covers rather than my stomach, staring at the ceiling.

"_Wow…I never realized this room was in need of a full makeover."_

"**What are you doing, Sakura-chan! It's your first day of training with Tsunade-san!"**

And with that I literally forced myself to get up at all costs. Apparently Tsunade-san had a reputation for chastising anyone who wasted her time. Before even _thinking_ of the possible consequences I'd face for being late, I got dressed, and ate a light breakfast consisting of toast and jelly with a small glass of milk.

What I wore was perfect for the occasion: a long, qipao-style dress that touched two or so inches past my knees with dark grey biker shorts underneath. Thankfully, they were spandex so I could easily move around in them. The dress was red with the Haruno clan symbol adorning the back of the outfit, the purity ring I'd seen in the shrine back at Kikyo Castle. My hair was left open as I then put on a pair of velcro sandals. Oba-san brought a pair for me so I could properly do chores without injuring myself.

After heading out the door and walking for a good five minutes, I passed by the Ichiraku Ramen shop. There was something eerily different about the place. It was much too quiet and peaceful. There was always something there to arouse a busy schedule for both Teuchi-san and Ayame-chan. The light bulb appeared immediately above my head, figuratively that is.

Where was Naruto?

He always started his day here early in the morning, ordering breakfast items. Yes, the Ichiraku ramen shop serves things other than ramen. Naruto came here three times a day for breakfast, lunch, _and_ dinner.

One would think he'd get sick of the place, but no, that's not the case!

For breakfast, Naruto would order almost the entire menu consisting of: Okayo (rice porridge), Miso soup, Natto (fermented soy beans), Nori (dried seaweed), Tamagoyaki (rolled omelet), broiled fish, Tsukemono (pickles), and umeboshi (pickled ume plums, also my personal favorite). For lunch, he'd settle for either a large bowl of any flavored ramen or red bean soup. Once dinner comes around, Teuchi-san recommends that he eats fresh vegetables since they're healthy. Naruto, however, despises them and demands for either more ramen or red bean soup.

It's not like Teuchi-san should complain anyway, Naruto is his number one customer. As long as the hyperactive ninja is around, the Ichiraku Ramen shop will stay in business.

"Oi, Sakura-chan!"

I turned to face Ayame, waving her arm, signaling for me to come over.

"Ayame, I can't talk for long. I _really_ have to be somewhere," I informed her.

She quickly disregarded my statement and pointed to the magazine rack beside her, gesturing for me to take one.

The cover caught my attention. I could tell exactly what kind of content would be inside the magazine.

It was an up close picture of the kiss between Hinata and Naruto. If I had been a random spectator, I would have really thought these two were in love. Their embrace was an outpouring of all dark emotions hiding within the two of them. Both Hinata and Naruto were unhappy, with Naruto being the more obvious case. Hinata, although an affluent heiress, was miserable. She was trapped, like me, as if she were caged bird wanting to be free and explore the world.

The kiss between these two was a picture perfect image of one of those sweet, but sappy romance movies. I love watching romance movies.

Anyway, it was a true shame that Naruto didn't feel the same way and decided to be a jerk about this whole thing and purse _me_ instead of being loyal to Hinata. I felt awful about running off last night. What will become of our friendship now? What will happen once Hinata finds out?

Before my head started to form a migraine from all this over thinking, I paid attention to the big bubble letters on the top of the cover reading:

HINATA-HIME IS ENGAGED TO BE MARRIED?

On the bottom right corner was a bit of subtext mentioning her longtime "body guard", Naruto, at the same time directing the reader to one of the later pages in the magazine to read up further on the big announcement made yesterday.

"I can't believe he lied like that!" Ayame stated, surprised.

I nodded, "I know…it's awful. Just for both Naruto's and Hinata's sake, please don't tell anyone else. He didn't mean it."

"Mum's the word, Saku! Would you like anything to eat? We've got a fresh stock of Umeboshi from the tea country!"

My brow rose at the delicious opportunity,"As much as I'd love to, Ayame-chan, I can't. I really have to be somewhere. How about I come for dinner tonight?"

She nodded excitedly as I bid her farewell and went on my way.

Thoughts of Naruto plagued my mind. It was beyond irritating.

"_I can't take it anymore! Should I look for him?"_

Secretly, I was expecting an answer from Kobato. The clock tower in the village center caught my attention. After checking the time, I changed my mind and sped up my pace to meet with Tsunade-san instead.

"**Dobato!"**

That word sounded so familiar. My eyes widened thinking back to Karasu-sama and Uchiha Sasuke.

"_Why is she calling me a stupid dove? I didn't do anything!"_

"**It's what you **_**didn't **_**do that makes you a dobato," **she corrected.

"Well you're closer to a dobato than I am!" I retorted cleverly, or rather, immaturely.

Kobato rolled her big black eyes and continued her lecture on what it means to be a good friend and how I didn't bother giving Naruto a chance even though he poured out his heart and soul to me.

I scoffed and sighed with utter irritation, "What was I supposed to do, accept his proposal and embrace him in a _kiss_? Just how naïve are you, Kobato? There were other people outside and that would've caused more of a commotion than what happened between Naruto and Hinata!"

Before she could say anything else, I continued my rant, "_And_, I don't love him. Stop making these silly assumptions!"

"**Of course you do,"** she simply states while smiling coyly.

"Not like _that_," I blush furiously, embarrassed by the overwhelming thoughts Kobato placed over my head.

"**You should seriously consider talking to him,"** Kobato reminded.

The anger and frustration led me to turn my head sharply and respond in a curt manner," Look, Naruto was up late last night partying. I'm sure he's sleeping in. He tends to do that a lot. Once lunchtime comes around, we'll walk by the Ichiraku ramen shop seeing his bright and shining face chowing down on a big bowl of beef ramen."

This supposedly "innocent" dove was not the least bit phased by my scary attitude, which I never realized I had. The look on her face was obvious that she didn't buy my argument.

"**Whatever you say Sakura-chan…"**

Somehow this statement sent a pang of guilt inside me, a feeling I couldn't exactly ignore.

"I know what I'm doing, okay?"

We continued the rest of our journey silently, and after what felt like a while, there were the training grounds in front of me.

It was nothing extravagant as I had imagined it to be, just flat grassland surrounded by a plethora of trees. In the distance were two figures sitting cross-legged. The one with blonde hair sensed my presence. She stood up immediately and childishly exclaimed, "In your face! Now pay up!" to the dark-haired woman who also stood up and reluctantly reached into her small pouch, revealing a sum of money.

I curiously walked forward and the familiarity suddenly hit me.

It was none other than Tsunade-san and Shizune-san.

I continued to stand in the same spot, dumbfounded, wondering what they were arguing about.

Shizune dumped her excess change into Tsunade-san's hands, "This is the first and last time I'll be partaking in your sinful gambling activities."

Tsunade-san shook it all off as if it were nothing, "Whatever you say, Shizune. You need to work on your student analysis skills. Sakura has a lot of potential like we both agreed, but, I knew she'd be late her first day of training."

Shizune's mouth was left open as if she were going to say something. She closed it instead, probably since nothing came to mind.

"_I can't believe it! These two bet whether I'd be late or not?"_

"_**Tsunade can't live a day without gambling. She has a reputation to uphold you know!"**_

I merely ignored Kobato's comment, already irritated with her attempting to be my good conscious.

"Since today is your first day I'll let you slide," Tsunade-san warned.

Before we started our training, the Hokage turned to Shizune-san.

"Shizune, I'd like my time to train Sakura. Please take my place temporarily and continue to file each mission report that comes in. Once you're finished with that, please take Tonton out for a walk. He's been stuck inside the office all day."

Without any complaints, which I was expecting, Shizune disappeared from thin air.

"Cool…" I couldn't help but utter.

"It's a ninja thing," she stated while shrugging like it was nothing.

"So I'll get to do that too?"

She chuckled at my question, most likely thinking it was childish, "Of course, now, let's get started with your training! Please stand by those trees."

Obediently, I did as she said.

Tsunade-san positioned herself exactly five feet away from my location, holding a soccer ball.

"_I came here to train, not play a sport!"_

As if reading my mind, the Hokage spoke,"Before you jump to any conclusions, we're not playing a sport. This is a crucial part of your training. We're going to first work on taijutsu exercises. Actually, come to think of it, this is the most basic form of taijutsu."

A long pause filled the air until I broke it with a hesitant question, hoping I didn't sound stupid.

"Ano…what exactly is taijutsu?"

She answered me effortlessly, "Physical combat."

"_Is she crazy? I don't think I can go through with this! Never in my life have I ever performed any form of physical combat! It all looks so intimidating to me…"_

"_**Well that's why you're training with her, ne Sakura-chan?"**_

My head turned towards the sound of Kobato's angelic voice. There she was, perched a top of a tree branch watching me. This was a bit intimidating, since I had to go a long with this huge task of collecting all ten shards. If I didn't succeed in becoming a ninja, how could I possibly heal Oba-san?

"Think fast," I heard Tsunade-san call.

And before I knew it, the soccer ball was coming at me with incredible speed.

"_I have to move…fast!"_

My legs ran as fast as they could take me to the grassland's corner. Then I realized something, this training ground was in the shape of a square. There was no way I could escape her attacks. Speaking of which, Tsunade-san threw more at me.

The impact of each ball hurt. There were moments when it was difficult to stand back up and fight back. I'd continue to run away like a coward. About half an hour passed when I was on my knees looking away, terrified of this whole situation. I gathered up all of my courage and gazed in the Hokage's direction.

I nodded, waiting for what she had in store. Tsunade-san stood there, eyeing me up and down for almost five minutes.

"Is there something wrong, Lady Hokage?"

"You look beautiful," she said, not really answering my question.

My brow rose inquiringly, wondering why in Kami's name she'd say something like that.

She spoke again, "Ninja don't look like they've spent hours on their hair."

I directed my eyes to the long pink locks framing my face. My fingers slowly caressed these rosy tresses. Each strand was silky smooth. There was a specific schedule devoted to caring for my hair. I'd brush it four times a day and specifically use an herbal essence shampoo which Ino introduced me to. She always had nice hair and kept it long and shiny. I wanted to do the same. Her mom used organic substances to create this shampoo, and it's done wonders for my hair. Oba-san wanted me to keep it long and smooth, so I did it.

There were times when it was difficult managing waist-length hair. Not only was it long, but it was _thick_. Its weight made it difficult to sleep at times because it was sprawled all over the bed and I'd move around irritated. If I wanted to tie it up into a high pony tail, I had to have more than two rubber bands holding my hair.

So there were its pros and cons, but, I feel as if it's become a part of my identity; to keep this elegant, lady-like image. Grandmother said it suits me, I couldn't imagine myself any other way.

"Oh…" was all I could muster.

She continued to stare at me, creating a tense atmosphere.

"Do you have an extra rubber band I could use to tie it up, Hokage-san?"

She nodded, "No. What will happen when you're on a real mission, Sakura? Not everyone will have an extra rubber band."

Her tangent was beginning to irritate me, "Excuse me, Tsunade-san. I don't mean any disrespect, but, why all the fuss about my hair? We don't have a lot of time before my oba-san gets back. I need to get training."

Thankfully, she wasn't angry with me. Though Lady Hokage did have a stern look on her face.

"Sakura. Your hair is a hindrance."

"_My hair is beautiful! It's not a hindrance!"_

Tsunade-san seemed to sense my anger.

"So what do you want me to do, cut it off?" I asked her, nervously.

Her stern look washed away, revealing a triumphant smirk.

"Precisely."

At that moment, I wasn't sure why, but my eyes grew wide and my body froze. Surely it sounded easy to cut off my hair, but, it was of a matter beyond just looking good. As I've said before, Oba-san encouraged me to grow it out for most of my life. She believed all women should possess long hair. Apparently our place was to marry and have children. Those two jobs did not need for one to shorten her hair. This was an idea grandmother engrained into my mind.

It was beautiful seeing it so long and silky. At the same time, however, there were its burdens. Everyday it reminded me of my dark destiny. I'd have to someday marry an older man with power and wealth. We would never fall in love because of my curse. I had grown weary to the idea of love anyway and would one day marry once I grew of age to carry on Oba-san's wishes.

This order to cut off my hair was alien to me. It would be a change in course of my destiny, one I wouldn't be familiar with.

"**You better take action now, Sakura-chan! Tsunade-san's walking towards you!"**

Thank Kami Kobato-chan was around to warn me about everything. I snapped out of my thoughts and found Lady Tsunade slowly approaching me with a kunai in her hand.

"_Kobato-chan! What do I do?"_

"**I…I'm your advisor, Sakura-chan. I can't just tell you what to do. You are in that stage now when you must make your own decisions."**

There was a hint of urgency in her tone, fearful of what would soon happen. Tsunade-san was now in front of me, grabbing a handful of my hair about to chop off my pink tresses.

Thoughts of oba-san and dishonoring the Haruno clan clouded my mind.

"It will take not even five seconds…" I heard Lady Hokage whisper.

"_I can't dishonor my clan…oba-san…myself…"_

Immediately my eyes shut, I pushed Tsunade-san away from me, and stood up running to a nearby tree.

She faced the ground and pounded the earth with all her might. The rocks were sent flying, and the catastrophe she produced formed a crater, trapping me in. It wasn't too big. There were ledges I could climb on to help myself back up.

"Oh no you don't!" Tsunade-san responded.

The struggle upwards proved worth it when I reached the top, gasping heavily for a breath of fresh air. Tsunade's stomping was loud enough for me to hear as I picked myself back up and continued running.

"**What are you **_**doing**_**, Sakura-chan? GET BACK THERE!"**

"_Kobato, forget this opportunity. My hair is a part of me. If Tsunade-san can't understand this then there's no point in training with her."_

"**Don't you want to be a ninja?" **she reminded.

I rethought her question over and over, but in the end, did not change my decision.

"_The first day clearly defined my destiny. I was never meant to be a ninja."_

"GET BACK HERE!" Tsunade-san called.

"NO!" I yelled back, not turning around, continuing to run.

"You had an opportunity to restore the Haruno family's honor. I thought you were different from Chiyo."

Beads of sweat trickled down my flushed skin. I was tired, yet at the same time, embarrassed with myself.

"You're not worth comparing to your mother…"

That…that statement. It made me want to cry so hard. Tears were literally on the verge of falling. I was a disgrace. After listening to my mother's story, why didn't I want to finish what she started? To become a ninja and reestablish the Haruno clan in a different light?

I was scared…deeply ashamed of running away from the Hokage who generously agreed to train me.

No. Tsunade, Kobato, and I knew it. We all knew I was running away from my _true_ destiny.

**Author's Note: **There you have it folks, chapter 9! The next one will come up soon. So sorry for the delay I was on vacation. I went to Atlantis in the Bahamas! You all should go there! Feel free to message me like I always say. OH! I turned 18! So that's exciting! Well hope you all enjoy your day. I'm hoping the next chapter should be up into the middle of next week.

Tootles!

~Sweetness


	10. Disturbia

**Author****'****s****Note:**Hey everyone! So I know I said I'd update sometime next week but I wanted to take a little break from studying and couldn't wait any longer to post a new chapter. I'm HOPING you'll like it! Seriously let me know what you think. It was a bit too dark for my taste, I'm not sure how you guys will feel about it. Thanks again to all these amazing individuals who have reviewed so far:

**MissLadyEmiko**

**The 8th Stone**

**Hotaru Himura**

**HomeSkillitBiscuit.93**

**Mednin**

**Pretty Blossom**

**TwilightMelodiac**

**TheBloodyLoveOfSakuraHaruno**

**isunshine**

**VongolaBoss**

**Princess Ren**

**Blackfire300**

**Nox Maltid**

ALSO I'm just kind of curious if anyone wants to do this. Are any of you talented artists? Maybe it's too soon for this but…if you could make a cover for this fanfic, how would you create it exactly? This is a great opportunity for any of you devianart users to try this out! I'd like to know how you perceive this story and what strikes you the most! Just an idea I thought I'd throw out there. Anyway, I'd also like for you guys to message me! As I've said so many times before I'd like to hear from my readers! If you have anymore ideas for this story or anything let me know!

Don't wanna keep you waiting any longer!

Finally the long awaited chapter…here's an early Christmas present for you guys!

LET US BEGIN THE EPIC READING ADVENTURE!

**Chapter 10: Disturbia**

Stopping in a secluded meadow, I dipped my feet in a shallow pond. There was a cold sensation rushing against my skin. I shivered not only from the chills, but also, from the overwhelming regret and guilt bubbling inside of me.

"_**You're not worth comparing to your mother…"**_

Those words…those _haunting_words failed to leave my mind. I wanted to run farther away, but where would that lead me?

Absolutely nowhere.

An amazed look replaced my pensive mood when my reflection transfigured into an image of a woman with burnt red hair and shimmering emerald eyes. She stood there smiling. In fact, it was a true representation of happiness, as the light of her smile hit her bright green orbs.

"Why are you smiling at me?"

The look she gave was one as if she were proud. It was aggravating.

"_Kaa-san…"_

"Gomen nasai, Kaa-san. For I have disgraced you."

Haruno Kaori was beautiful and strong. As her daughter, I couldn't help but feel dejected and ashamed. At the age of five, I spotted a family photo in oba-san's room when she ordered me to retrieve something for her. It was placed on her dresser in a small, Victorian-style frame. The photo was set in front of a cherry blossom tree. Mother, wearing an elegant sundress, held a newborn infant lovingly in her arms wrapped in a white blanket. I could vaguely detect strands of pink hair sticking out. Next to Kaori was a silver-haired man wrapping an arm around his wife. However, I could not tell what he looked like. The group of tall flowers in front of us shielded his face. Although clearly intangible, one could sense their strong affection for each other.

It was such a beautiful image. At least at one point in my life I was loved and cared for. If only mother knew what my life was like now and how oba-san turned out to be.

"I…I-I'm sorry…I'm sorry, Kaa-san! Onegai, please forgive me! For all the wrong I've done!"

And that was it. My face was buried in my lap sobbing madly. How could I possibly bear to look my mother in the eye? Tsunade-san was right, there's no point in comparing myself to her. I will forever remain chained to a dark and dreary prison, there's no hope left for me…there never will be.

"_What should I do now? I don't want to go back home! I don't know what to do with my life anymore…why was I even born? Why did Kami-sama do this to me? I'm cursed…there's no life to live…I have no parents…I've disgraced my family name…I've disappointed the Hoka-"_

"**Will you quit your whining? I don't mean to be rude, Sakura-chan but moping around isn't going to help at all. Be proactive, _do_something about your misery!"**

My head sharply turned to face Kobato, "Just what am I supposed to do? Answer that, huh?"

She was not fazed by my piercing glare, **"****You****should****have****cut****off****your****hair****like****Tsunade-sama****said****and****moved****on****with****your****training!****You****made****such****a**_**foolish**_**decision,****Haruno****Sakura!****I****suggest****you****go****back****now****and****continue****on****with****the****mission****you****should****be****on****your****way****to****accomplishing.****"**

Soon enough, I boiled over in sheer anger and threw a stone in Kobato's direction which she dodged as her big black eyes opened wide.

"Have you not listened to a thing I've been saying, _DOBATO?_You don't understand what my life has been like. You don't know what kind of hardships I've had to deal with and what I'm currently dealing with. I don't think you're as omniscient as you say you are, because if you were, you'd be able to understand everything about me. You have no idea what my oba-san and what this curse have put me through! My life is crap, there's nothing left for me! I can't go on any longer!"

The dove merely rolled her eyes, **"****Stop****being****an****angsty****teenager,****Sakura,****and****do****what****you****were****set****out****to****do.****I-****"**

I nodded my head feverishly and placed my hands over my ears, shutting my emerald orbs, "NO! Damare! Just shut up! Leave me _alone_. I think I'm just kidding myself…for Kami's sake…I'm talking to some stupid BIRD whose telling me to go on some mission to heal my oba-san! Oh Kami-sama, only in my wildest dreams could this happen! You're toying with me aren't you?"

"**Sakura-cha-"**

"This hallucination doesn't exist! Uchiha Sasuke was right, what if she's just imaginary? No, she _is_ imaginary. All this abuse I've taken…everything I've endured all these years has led to this…I'm not mentally stable…"

"**No, you'r-"**

"Don't _listen_ to it! I don't belong in society…I'm not normal…not _one_ person in this village understands me and what it's like to have been wronged by a loved one, to have been alone all these years. It's time to leave Konohagakure…I'm not wanted…I will never be accepted…I'm a true disgrace…I need to go far far away from here…"

I temporarily turned around to face mother's reflection and splashed my feet and stomped around in the pond to make her disappear.

"_Gomen…I have failed you…"_

After rubbing my feet on the soft, lush patch of grass, I took off and refused to look back. Kobato came after me, but instead, I slapped her away and she fell onto the ground unconscious.

Truth be told, I had no idea where I was headed. Never in my life had I been outside of Konoha, I was completely unfamiliar with the other nations and what kind of people lived there. That kind of thing tends to happen when you're locked up at home all your life.

The light soon began to disappear from the sky, and the forest grew dark. I walked around and found that I was wandering in circles.

"_There must be a way out of this village!"_

As I continued my journey further, sounds of various creatures could be heard in the distance. My paranoia increased as time passed, beady yellow eyes gazed at me through the bushes. I sped-walked through the territory, desperately trying to find an exit yet at the same time making sure I did not catch anyone or anything's attention.

I'll admit, I'm a wide open target for anything to come after me. There are no weapons in my pockets, nope…absolutely nothing…not even a simple kitchen knife. Just a young girl with silky, long hair.

"_Sakura…keep calm, everything's going to be fine, okay? You're just imagining things, remember? Just like how you imagined Kobato. She doesn't exist, right? Of course she doesn't! Eventually you'll see an opening at the end of this forest and you can leave happily and-"_

I stopped dead in my tracks when a hiss sounded not too far away from me. The creature slithered from the bushes over in my direction. The first thing that struck me was its tremendous size. The creature's height could have surpassed two Ichiraku Ramen shops stacked on top of each other!

There was no possible way I could outrun the serpent, instead, I stood frozen in fear.

"_Maybe if I avoid its eyes, it will think I'm less of a threat and slither away."_

I shifted my gaze towards the ground and listened if the snake would come closer or leave. My eyes closed shut, and opened once again; I found the creature hovering over me, ready to strike.

There was nothing I could do to save myself.

"_Is__this__the__end?__Did__Kami-sama__really__mean__for__things__to__end__this__way?__"_

My eyes shut, ready to endure the pain, but there was nothing surprisingly.

"Manda!"

I turned to the source of the voice and could not locate the person who spoke the creature's name.

"Leave the premises, I'll take care of her…" the voice said again.

The serpent continued to face me as it responded, "If I leave…I expect you to sacrifice a hundred human beings for me…that would be sufficient…"

The voice answered, "Of course."

This "Manda" gazed at me once again and licked his lips. I trembled in fear as he slithered away into the deep unknown darkness.

My instincts ordered me to continue on my way, so I did.

"_Why oh why did I get myself into this mess?"_

My pace quickened from the desperation I had to leave the dangerous wilderness. Throughout my entire life, I thought Konohagakure was the safest place on earth. This forest didn't feel like home one bit.

"Meet your doom, Haruno Sakura," a deep, husky voice spoke.

Slowly, my emerald orbs moved towards the sound of the voice. There was no sighting of anyone, so this time, I ran hoping whoever it was would leave me alone.

Sweat trickled down my face, the beating of my heart grew faster, and my breathing became deeper.

"_You need to run…now!"_

I ran as fast as my legs could take me, and could only focus on the path ahead, unaware of my other surroundings.

At one point, my angle twisted and I tripped over a tree root, thumping hard onto the ground. As I tried to pick myself up, the pain from my ankle wouldn't allow me to move on. Soon enough a pair of vines covered with thorns wrapped around my legs, trapping me in place.

"L-Let me go…p-please!" I begged.

The only answer I received was the sound of a sinister, maniacal laugh.

"I've got you now, woman! You'll make a delicious feast…"

My eyes grew wide,"_F-Feast?__"_

Struggling to turn my face, I bravely gazed up at the perpetrator. He wasn't anything close to a human. He possessed two large venus fly-trap like extensions that enveloped his head and upper body, giving him a plant-like appearance. He had short green hair, yellow eyes, and his body had two different colored halves. His left side was completely white and the right side was as black as the night sky with small white dots scattered along his body.

One thing I noticed was the black cloak he wore adorned with red cloud patterns with a red interior and a high-chinned collar. On his right little finger, he wore a green ring and the symbol on his forehead protector was scratched out completely.

I did not get a good vibe from this man…thing…creature whatever he or it may have been.

"W-Who are you?" I questioned.

The stranger chuckled, "I don't think there's a point telling you since you'll die soon."

Without waiting any longer, the man scooped me up with his venus fly trap extensions. I was placed in a position where my face looked down below to the sharp, jagged teeth of the plant. It was the scariest sight I have ever seen.

His lighter half extended his tongue and licked my cheek, ready to aim for my lips

"Your skin is soft…you taste like sweet honey! It would be a true shame if you were chewy. I dislike chewy humans…_disgusting_."

He giggled as his darker half glared and reprimanded him from continuing anymore.

"Leave my prey alone you _imbecile_, and stop covering her with your saliva. No one wants your germs! Let's finish this task already. Master will surely be pleased after we're through with her."

Words were no longer exchanged as I was brought closer and closer to being consumed. Tears could not stop falling, as I was deathly afraid and disturbed by the whole situation. I could not scream, for my mouth was securely fastened with the thick vines surrounding me.

My eyes shut one last time thinking back on all the people who held some importance to me in my life.

I regretted being a terrible friend to Naruto and leaving him behind to suffer by himself. Oba-san will forever see me as a disappointment letting myself die like this; I really am a disgrace to the Haruno clan.

"_Maybe this is what I deserve…"_

Then, an image of Uchiha Sasuke suddenly entered my mind. That brought about the most pain and I wasn't sure why. I had formally met him only a couple times.

He seemed to be the only person who understood me.

At least all those years of waiting were worth it; I got to see him again and got to know him on a personal level.

"_Good bye…I hope you achieve your long awaited ambition someday…"_

Instantaneously, a cry of pain came from below me. It was the white half of the man. He screamed so loud, it pierced my ears.

Suddenly, the vines that wrapped around my body were cut off and I fell to the ground with no injuries thankfully.

"You _fiend_, Zetsu! How dare you!" Someone called out.

The plant man, "Zetsu", turned and met the blade of this other stranger. Half of Zetsu's extensions were cut off, bringing about sheer pain and agony.

"You _bastard_, what are you doing back here!" the plant man questioned accusingly.

The attacker merely glared, "I saw you…I saw just what you were ready to do to this innocent girl. You left me no choice!"

Finally, I got a clear view of this other man. If his looks could kill, then Zetsu would have already been dead by now.

Although it was dark, I could vaguely make out some of his features. He had a medium length, metallic-colored mane that was slicked back with distinctive amaranthine eyes. The man was dressed in an ivory yukata with a black obi around his waist. A circular amulet with a triangle in the middle hung from his neck. From his attire, I could've sworn he was just a simple civilian who did not practice any form of combat.

Yet, here he was beating Zetsu into a pulp.

Zetsu was now a bloody mess and his hesitation grew evident as to whether he should retreat or stay and fight.

"Kuso…let's keep fighting! Master will praise us once he finds out we've destroyed this nuisance…" the lighter half of Zetsu suggested.

His counterpart shook his head, "No…can't you feel our chakra depleting? At this rate we'll die. Let us leave and rejuvenate."

Zetsu's dark half turned to the handsome stranger, "You will pay for this, _traitor_…"

The man was not bothered by Zetsu's comment and merely glared back as the enemy left the scene.

All was quiet and I couldn't help but continue to stare at the man before me. He noticed my presence and stared back in relief. I was not the least bit scared, somehow with him just being there close to me, I felt safe.

Although still traumatized by what happened not very long ago, I managed to run over and thank him. The response I received was a deep stare into my eyes, and I did the same.

"If you hadn't saved me…I-I don't know what would've happened…"

He smiled softly.

"I couldn't let a young maiden like you be eaten by some monster. You still have so much to live for. You need to accomplish your dreams and do something with your life."

A feeling of guilt washed over me, remembering Kobato's words as well.

"Who was that man?" I asked, changing the subject.

A serious look replaced his light-hearted disposition, "His name is Zetsu. An S-ranked hunter ninja."

"You know him?"

The man nodded, "Yes…for a long time. I don't know what he's doing here disturbing the peace in Konoha. He is no one to be tampered with. I suggest you report his sighting to the Hokage. Something needs to be done, there's no telling what he'll do next."

I remained quiet for the time being while we walked back to town.

"_Thank Kami! Now I know never to go back there again!"_

"Tell me…what were you doing in the forest of death all by yourself?"

"_Forest of DEATH?"_

As if reading my mind, he answered my question, "The forest of death is not meant for regular civilians like you. It is used as a training ground for young shinobi ready to pass their chunin exams."

Embarassed by my actions, I flushed a deep crimson.

"I-I'm so sorry sir…I didn't mean to! I was just frustrated with everything that's gone on in my life! I'm a confused wreck, I have no idea what to do anymore…"

"Keep living," he answered simply.

His reply really hit me hard.

"You can't give up on life. I'm sure there are people out there who have endured much more suffering than you. I know I have…but that's why I left my old ways and pursued the righteous path of the shinobi. I'm much happier now and I can only thank Kami for giving me the sense to change my life for the better."

"_Could he be the answer to my prayers?"_

"Whatever is your true destiny…you must follow it, avoiding and crying will not help anything.

It seemed that his words were going through my thick head after all.

The man continued gazing softly at my face until he drastically changed his expression into one of shock and surprise. I was startled as his purple eyes grew wide.

"K-Kaori?" he muttered.

That caught me off guard. I did nothing but stare wide-eyed back at him.

"Haruno K-Kaori?" he repeated.

My eyes just blinked, "Pardon?"

Instead he shook his head, trying to rid certain thoughts from his mind, "No…it can't be her…she's gone…"

"_Has he met my mother? Were they close friends before?"_

Soon enough, we finally exited the dark and dreary forest and found ourselves back in civilization with people bustling around everywhere. The radiant sunlight surrounded the two of us, allowing me to see this man even more clearly. His eyes shined like jewels…gorgeous and entrancing…

The light must have revealed my characteristics as well, for his expression changed again. I spotted a spark of familiarity in his eyes and he smiled a true, beaming smile. He grabbed a strand of my pink hair and caressed it while eyeing it carefully.

A tear slid down his cheek, startling me a little.

"_Why is he crying? What's there to cry about? I don't understand…"_

His hands cupped my face as he stared straight into my deeply concerned eyes.

"It's you…"

Utter confusion continued to cloud my mind as I had no idea what he was talking about. I had never seen this man before in my life.

"Sakura…"

"_He knows my name? This is so weird! I think I've got a case of déjà vu…this feels like a dream…"_

But heck, it sure wasn't. I snapped out of my thoughts real fast when he kissed my cheek.

"I'll come back for you my darling angel…I promise…I won't abandon you this time…"

"Matte!" I called, making him stop in his tracks.

He turned and held the same smile on his gorgeous face.

"Who are you?"

Our eyes met and continued to stare at each other for a long time. The only sound heard was the scrambling of the villagers around us.

The man approached me and stood planted on the stone ground while removing the amulet from his neck. Without hesitation, he placed it around me and kissed my forehead.

"Hidan".

**Author****'****s****Note:**Something you guys _probably_weren't expecting. I'd like to hear all of your reactions. They can be bad or good, although, I'm a little afraid to hear the bad opinions. What else were your thoughts on this chapter? I'll probably update next Thursday or Friday, so stay tuned. Do you guys have a fave character in this story so far? Or is it a bit too early to tell? Favorite moment, or chapter?

Please review! I would really appreciate it!

Love my readers!

~Sweetness


	11. Knowledge Seeker

**Author****'****s****Note:**Ohayoooo! Just wanted to say that I'm not getting as many reviews as I expect, which is quite sad considering I work really hard on this story! I just want to know what you all think! You see, I check the story "traffic" pretty often and I see over 100 people reading it, why can't that many just write a simple sentence or two giving me their thoughts, you know?

I'll be quiet now and continue the story! Enjoy!

**Chapter 11: Knowledge Seeker**

Confusion, shock, and a whole mix of emotions enraptured me. A beautiful human being just _kissed_me and delivered such sincere words of wisdom. How stupid was I not to realize this earlier? It would have saved me all the pain and heartache I've endured. Not to mention how childish I acted towards _the_ hokage herself and to my very own guardian angel, Kobato-chan.

"Gomen Kobato-chan…I'm so sorry. After what I've done, I don't blame you if you don't forgive me. I don't deserve your kindness and love. You should choose someone more worthy to carry out this mission. Maybe I'm not as pure of heart as you thought I was."

"**Don't be so hard on yourself, Sakura-chan!"**

My eyes flickered to the white, sparkling stardust floating in the air, suddenly revealing none other than Kobato-chan herself staring at me innocently as if nothing happened.

I shook my head correcting her, "How can you say that? I slapped you away from me when you were doing nothing but trying to be caring and helpful."

She smiled sweetly, **"****You****'****ve****dealt****with****so****much****in****your****life!****It****'****s****completely****normal****to****feel****this****way.****I****will****say,****however,****that****the****stranger****you****met****really****seemed****to****get****through****to****you.****"**

Thoughts of the silver-haired man I encountered moments ago flooded my mind, "How did you…?"

"**Hello? I'm an all knowing _spirit_, remember? If you haven't realized it or not, Sakura-chan, you and I are connected. Whatever you see, I see. Whatever you feel, I feel. Although, I had a much different feeling when you laid eyes on that man, Hidan I believe his name was. This sensation of familiarity came over me. In my life, I _know_ I've met him sometime before…"**

The last statement brought me to look at her inquiringly, to which her dark orbs grew wide while shaking her head fervently.

"**Oh Kami…I think I've said too much…"**

I decided not to pry too much, afraid it would be rather rude of me. Instead, I heeded Hidan's words and decided to do something about my destiny by gaining each of those ten shards and heal oba-san in the process.

"**How are you going to do _that_ without your training, that's kind of important you know!"**

My emerald orbs glimmered as the sunlight shined down on them, ready to take on the challenge.

"Physical combat isn't everything Kobato-chan. Like you said, I'm going to do my research on those ten clans I need to heal. The library is a great place to start."

She stared at my figure as I headed towards my destination and continued to follow after me. While walking around the village, people seemed to notice the dove perched atop my shoulder. I kept my mind on the task at hand and didn't bother paying any attention to them.

Konohagakure's overarching structure, the hokage tower, caught my eye. It was a reminder of Tsunade-sama and how foolish I acted.

"**She****'****ll****forgive****you,****I****promise!****" **Kobato assured.

No response came from me, whether Tsunade-sama forgave me or not, I was going to carry out this mission regardless. Before we knew it, Kobato-chan and I rushed pass the Ichiraku ramen shop. My feet stopped moving and I snuck a peek to see whether Naruto sat down eating his delectable lunch.

Ayame-chan stood behind the counter fulfilling the requests of the other customers; needless to say, I didn't see a blonde hyperactive knuckleheaded orange-wearing ninja amongst them. Whether I wanted to admit it or not, something was indeed very wrong.

"Ayame!" I called.

A smile formed on her face as she brought out an order for one of the other customers.

"Ohayo, Sakura!"

Before she said anything else, her eyes shifted to the dove right by my side.

"And who is this little cutie? She's adorable, Sakura! Where'd you find her? What's her name?"

"Her name's Kobato and I found her…."

"_Quick Sakura, quick! Come up with a realistic answer!"_

"**Say you found me at the pound! That's where most people find their animal friends, ne Sakura-chan?"**

"You don't find doves at the _pound_; they're not even native here to the fire country, _DOBATO!__" _I snapped.

"I never said anything about a pound, and why are you all angry, Sakura? Why are you mad at your bird?" Ayame asked.

Immediately realizing Ayame was not aware of my telepathic abilities allowing me to communicate with Kobato, I smiled nervously and dismissed the whole thing like it was nothing, stating that my oba-san found her injured on the ground while coming back from the tea country a couple weeks ago.

She eyed me suspiciously just like Sasuke that one time when I snapped at Kobato for being an annoyance. He must have thought I was a complete maniac.

"_Uchiha Sasuke…GAH! Get him out of your head! He's UGLY and VAIN and-"_

"**Stop trying to fight your feelings, Sakura-chan. Face it, you _like_ him!"**

This time, aware of Ayame's presence, I argued back telepathically.

"_SHUT IT! He means nothing!"_

Uncomfortable with the long pause, Ayame proceeded to start the conversation.

"You look a bit worried…something on your mind?"

I cut right to the chase, "Has Naruto stopped by at all today?"

A frown replaced her radiant smile as she nodded, answering my question.

"Not _once_?" I asked her, with my fists clenching.

"Sakura-chan I've been working all day today. Not once did I see him stop by. I'm sorry."

I pulled away slowly, bid her farewell, and went on my way towards the library.

Kobato interrupted all of my troublesome thoughts,"**See?****I****told****you.****Something****'****s****wrong!****Be****a****good****friend****and****pay****Naruto****a****visit!****"**

Avoiding the situation, my pace quickened, "Everything's fine, Kobato-chan. I'm sure Naruto's just…busy with some errands, that's all.

Her brows furrowed in response, **"**_**Errands?**___**Even**_**I**_**know****Uzumaki****Naruto****never****runs****any**_**errands**_**.****It****'****s****a****Saturday****afternoon,****he****'****s****probably****lazing****around****in****his****bed.****Maybe****he****went****to****the****comic****book****store****to****purchase****a****copy****of**_**Icha**____**Ichia**____**Paradise**_**-****"**

Thoughts of that sickening piece of literature made me want to gag. Who in their right mind would read something that vile!

Perverts, of course.

"**OR maybe he's still in bed crying all because you broke his fragile heart!"**

I don't know why, but before even thinking about it, I ran as fast as I could with Kobato chasing after me of course.

"_Shut up about him already!"_

"**I****heard****that!****" **She answered back.

And there it was, the Konoha library. It's a public library located centrally, allowing the villagers to easily access it. A grand sign, placed on the side of the entrance caught my eye. It read:

"No Pets Allowed. Breaking the rules will result in severe consequences". 

I turned to face my "pet", "Sorry Kobato-chan, looks like you'll have to sit this one out."

She was not the least bit disappointed, **"****I****don****'****t****mind****Sakura-chan,****I****'****m****a****part****of****you****remember?****I****'****ll****be****able****to****see****anything****you****see.****"**

Anxiously, I entered the glass doors and opened my eyes to a mass array of all kinds of literature waiting to be discovered. There were total seven floors, with floor 1 starting alphabetically with the letter "a" and floor 7 ending with "z".

"**Ah…Konoha Toshokan…out of all the other villages in the world, this is one of the biggest libraries out there. It's got every subject ranging from advanced medical textbooks to self help books addressing a common issue known as social interaction."**

"_Where should I start? This place is huge!"_

"**Well the two biggest things on your mind right now are that red cloud pattern you found on that perpetrator, Zetsu, and the shape carved into that amulet you're wearing. Why don't you search for books on symbolism? Maybe that would help!"**

It was times like these when I was more than grateful to have Kobato-chan around. Let's face it, I would be nowhere without her!

"_Arigato, Kami-sama!"_

The question, however, was where to start. I had no idea which floor had which letters.

"_Why not ask the librarian, that's what she's here for right?"_

Right in the front of the room was the reference desk. The librarian had her back turned, most likely organizing the recently returned books. Quickly I approached her, ready to ask my pending question.

"Ano…sumi masen?"

She turned around, and immediately, familiarity hit me. The woman possessed black, shoulder-length, untamed hair. Her eyes were a unique shade of dark red, complementing her simple yet elegant ivory kimono.

"Ah, Haruno Sakura! I haven't seen you in a long time, what brings you here?"

"Ohayo, Kurenai-san. Indeed, it has been a long time since we've last seen each other. I came here to do a bit of research. How is Asuma-chan doing?"

We met because of Hinata-chan. Kurenai-san trained Hinata-chan in the art of ninjutsu, learning chakra control to master her clan's kekkei genkai, the Byakugan.

And no, I was not referring to Kurenai-san's partner, Sarutobi Asuma. He died three years ago, when I was sixteen, by the hand of an unknown S-class criminal. Kurenai-san was devastated, as well as the rest of Konohagakure. We lost an important member to this village, and he would not have the opportunity to father his unborn child. One day while sitting home as usual, I remember watching medical ninja run towards the west side of Konoha. Oba-san and I went to see what the ruckus was all about. As it turned out, Kurenai-san was giving birth. From what I heard, the midwives said she was in severe physical as well as emotional pain. It was obvious where her physical pain came from, but as far as her emotional torture was concerned, she cried out her lover's name in vain. Sarutobi Asuma-san would no longer be here to help raise their child and grow old with her.

I was so sad for her; even now I'm sure she still misses him dearly.

She named her baby boy Sarutobi Asuma, in hopes that someday, he would grow to be as strong and loyal just as his father once was. After Asuma's birth, Kurenai stopped her life as a kunoichi to care for her son. Now, she's taken a job as a librarian which would be enough to provide for herself as well as Asuma-chan.

Before she could answer my question, a toddler came running to hug her. Kurenai-san held him close and faced the boy in my direction for me to get a better look.

"_Oh Kami, he's adorable!"_

"My goodness, Kurenai-san, you have a beautiful baby boy."

She chuckled and shifted her crimson orbs to the child in her arms, "Yes…I do…"

Asuma-chan's big brown eyes grew even wider when he saw me.

"Oh! Kaa-chan, look! Pretty and Pink!"

His mother and I giggled as she spoke, "Hai, that she certainly is sweetheart. This is Haruno Sakura-san, can you say her name?"

It was a precious sight watching him attempting to pronounce my name, the way he first mouthed each syllable and would repeat it aloud.

"Saw koo raa…Saw koo raa-chan, ohayo!"

"Ohayo, Asuma-chan! I'm so glad I finally get to meet you!"

Kurenai-san moved her gaze to me instead, "How is your grandmother doing, Sakura?"

I paused a moment before answering briefly, "She's just fine. Oba-san actually left a couple days ago to visit a friend in Amegakure. She should be back soon."

That was the extent of that; I spoke no more of my grandmother. To avoid the dead silence, Kurenai-san changed the subject.

"So what kind of research are you doing?"

"Oh…well…I'm actually doing some research for a friend of mine. She couldn't make it here with me today. My initial question actually was where I could find books on symbolism?"

Her eyes lit up in recognition, "That should be up on floor 6. Everything's placed alphabetically as you can tell so you should have no trouble finding what you're looking for."

"Arigato, Kurenai-san. It was really nice seeing you again, now I'll know to come to the library more often!"

Slowly I bent down eye-level with the young tot who formed a genuine smile on his adorable face.

"Ja ne, Asuma-chan!"

The young boy smiled as I took off.

The elevator was just around the corner. I hit my desired floor and arrived running around, searching for the piece of literature that would soon quench my thirst for knowledge. From what I observed, each floor looked similar to one another. There were these massive book shelves reaching up towards the high ceilings, group work spaces towards the front, and small cubicles for individual study in the back and sides closest to the glass windows.

I checked each shelf, searching for anything to do with symbolism. Every book I searched through, however, there was nothing on the red cloud pattern _or_the symbol inscribed into my amulet.

"_This is definitely harder than I thought…"_

"Looking for something, Miss?"

Turning my head, an older man smiled sweetly while rolling a cart holding numerous books and placed them in the appropriate shelves. He wore a simple pair of khaki pants with a loose-fitted button-down shirt and an orange tie patterned with ramen noodle bowls.

"_Naruto…"_

"**See? You can't forget about him! You _do_care, Sakura-chan!"**

Immediately I regretted thinking his name and blocked Kobato's words out of my head, focusing on the kind gentleman in front of me.

I removed the amulet around my neck and handed it to the man so he could get a better view since the piece of jewelry was on the smaller side. Carefully he studied the symbol, and not even a minute later, fear overcame the man causing him to drop it.

"Hey! This is an important artifact, be careful would you?"

He pointed his finger at me as I picked up the amulet.

"D-Dear Kami, save us…h-how could you bring something so _vile_, so _disgusting_ back here to Konoha?"

My eyes merely blinked in confusion, "What are you talking about?"

The man looked even more troubled, "How can you feel safe carrying that accursed _thing_ around Konohagakure? It represents all that is wicked, that symbol is not welcome here. If you represent them, you don't belong here."

I didn't understand anything he was implying.

"But sir, I-"

The man's gaze became harsh, giving me the evil eye. His voice grew stern and louder, allowing others to hear us.

"Leave!" he ordered.

Scared, I left the scene and headed for the elevator. My peripheral vision took note of Shikamaru playing Shogi with another buddy of his. It wasn't hard to tell who was winning the match, Shikamaru was well known all throughout the village as the Shogi king. He learned from Sarutobi Hiruzen, the third hokage, at the age of five and eventually mastered the game.

Cautiously, I looked around me to see if the librarian was anywhere nearby.

"_Looks like the coast is clear."_

Thankfully, where Shikamaru was playing Shogi, it was the farthest away from the reference desk on this floor.

"And looks like I win again Shin, better luck next time my friend," Shikamaru proudly proclaimed.

This "Shin" he spoke to sighed with utter frustration, "Shikamaru, you really _are_ the Shogi king! This is the fourth round we've played and you've beaten me again! How do you do it?"

"It's a natural talent," the 'king' stated simply.

What I like about Shikamaru is the fact that he's proud of his accomplishments, but he doesn't brag. He's extraordinarily talented to say the least.

"_Why hasn't HE found someone yet? Shika could have any girl he wants! He's so smart, and talented, and good looking too!"_

"**The right girl hasn't come for him yet; I think he's waiting for her. Sort of like the same situation you're in, Sakura-chan!"**

"_I'm not waiting for ANYONE, Kobato! I'll never ever ever ever fall in love!"_

Before she could respond, I moved towards Shikamaru and his friend.

"Hey, Shikamaru", I greeted.

"Sakura," he answered, with a smile on his face. His friend, Shin, looked up at me awkwardly, bid Shikamaru good-bye, and left the two of us alone.

"What brings you here out in public?" he asked rather bluntly.

I know it seems a little obnoxious of him to ask in this manner, but I think what he was trying to get at was why I'm suddenly out and about since I'm usually stuck at home.

"Well I came to…find a book for pleasure. You know things get boring when you have to read the same series over and over again."

Obviously I wasn't going to tell him the _real_reason why I was here. The less I tell him, the better off I'll be.

"So…played any tournaments recently?"

He nodded, "There was one that Tuesday before the wedding. Needless to say, I came out on top."

My mouth formed an O shape, "Oh…so who challenged you for first place?"

"Surprisingly enough, it was Hatake Kakashi. Never knew he was interested in Shogi. He's quite good at it too, but, my mental capacity surpassed his and I ended up winning a large sum of money. Of course, it was too troublesome to keep all of it since everyone else has been trying to get on my good side so I'd give them some. The other day Naruto tried convincing me to spend all of it on ramen; I ignored him and donated all of it to the village commonwealth."

"Well that was very thoughtful of you, Shikamaru…have you talked to Naruto recently?"

"**Bringing him up again, are we?"**

I rolled my eyes, not bothering to respond back to Kobato.

He clasped his hands together, "Naruto and I were supposed to go on a mission early this morning. I knocked on his door and no one answered. Then I figured maybe he'd already be at the hokage tower, so I rushed over there. I wasted all that energy for nothing, what a drag. Lady Tsunade told me she hadn't seen him since the wedding. Rock Lee and I visited his apartment again and this time we checked through the windows, the curtains were drawn. We unlocked them from the outside and found no one. The place was dark and empty. His bed was actually made properly and his kitchen supplies were organized for once. This isn't like him. I don't know what happened…it's all too troublesome for me to think about, it's giving me migraines…all this stress…ugh…"

"_Now I'm really worried!"_

"**Hai…me too, Sakura-chan! Something really needs to be done about this!"**

Changing the subject, a smirk formed on Shikamaru's usually serious and pensive visage.

"You got yourself into trouble with the librarian, didn't you?"

My eyes grew wide, "How did you know?"

"_Don't tell me he's an all knowing spirit too…"_

"I spotted your pink hair a mile away. Were you making too much noise?"

I nodded, "Not at all! I just asked him a harmless question and he snapped at me. That was so rude of him! He doesn't even bother answering and orders me to leave."

Shikamaru's brow rose in suspicion, "What _did_you ask him about if you don't mind me asking?"

Momentarily I removed the amulet hanging around my neck and handed to Shika, telling him the question revolved around the symbol carved into the amulet. He held is gingerly in his hands and carefully studied the markings. After a minute or two of intense observation, Shikamaru jerked back in astonishment.

"You're wearing _this_ around our village? Where did you even find such a thing?"

"A kind man named Hidan gave it to me, what's wrong with that?"

He slapped his forehead in response, "Didn't your grandmother ever teach you not to take things from strangers?"

"Well yes…she did of course! But…he saved me! I was all alone in this creepy place in the forest of death. This man tried to attack me but Hidan rescued me! If it weren't for him…I'd be dead."

His narrow eyes grew wide, "What were you doing all alone in the forest of death? Normal civilians like you shouldn't be wandering around randomly in that territory…it's dangerous."

I rubbed my temples, "It's a looooong story, but anyway, what's wrong with this amulet? You had the same reaction as the librarian. He was scared to death! He said this symbol represents all that is wicked and that if I represent 'them' then I shouldn't be here in Konoha. Who is he referring to, Shikamaru? What's going on here?"

He leaned towards me raising his index finger, "You need to keep your mouth shut about this. I'm telling you for your own good, Sakura. That amulet you're wearing is the embodiment of all things evil that has frightened many people here even today."

"You're not even answering my question! I can't find anything in this library pertaining to this symbol; I just want to know what it means that's all, why can't you just tell me? I want to know what happened in Konoha's history."

"You're not going to be able to find any information on it in this library, in _any_ public facility for that matter. Seeking knowledge on this subject is forbidden, banned since the first hokage's time."

"_Oh Kami…it must be that bad!"_

"As a friend, I would be truly grateful if you kept me privy to this information. I promise I'll never mention it again if you tell me."

He sighed, "Looks like you're not gonna leave me alone about this…how troublesome. Fine, but I can only mention bits and pieces. This is highly classified information; no one else can hear our conversation. The only place containing the knowledge you're looking for lies in the Konoha Archive Library. It's located in the Hokage Mountain. It holds information on all of Konoha's secrets, any sensitive information that could be used against us is hidden behind that mountain."

The Hokage Mountain was a memorial to all of the past and present hokages that have ruled Konohagakure. Today, it's a major attraction for tourists who came as far from places like the village hidden in the clouds. It truly is a sight to see. All this time I've never known there was something hidden within.

"Can anyone access the Konoha Archive Library?"

He chuckled, "No, that's why it's hidden within the Hokage Mountain. I can take you there but you must promise me that you will tell _no__one_. Only a select few members of this village can enter this facility."

My eyes shone true with sincerity, "You have my word, Nara Shikamaru."

Without saying anymore, we headed towards our destination. As we were walking it was dead quiet, the sun began to set, and I was growing tenser. As Shikamaru informed me before, I heeded his words and kept the amulet safe in my bag.

"**Oh Kami, I'm so excited!"**

Tiny drops of sweat began to trickle down my flushed skin, resulting from the overwhelming nervousness and fear bubbling inside of me.

"_I'm a little scared to find out what this symbol means…"_

"So Shikamaru…how did you become one of the select few to enter this place?"

He answered my question with ease, "I'm sure you're aware that since I was a genin, Sarutobi Asuma has been my sensei. We've been through so much together, and our relationship became more than just that elementary level teacher-student relationship. It was a true brotherhood we had. After turning sixteen, he valued our friendship so much, that he entrusted me to this information within the archive library. Lady Tsunade allowed me to become aware of this confidential information since I had served our village many times before as a general in a few of the invasions. The elite jonin, ANBU black op squad, and the hokage herself said I deserved to know the truth behind Konohagakure's history. I swore an oath to them, pledging my undying honor and loyalty that I would not leak this information out to _anyone_."

"_Wow…"_

"**So then why is he telling you, Sakura-chan?"**

"Why are you keeping me privy to this information, Shikamaru?"

He turned his head sharply, looking at me with a serious expression, "Someone with dark intentions has placed this cursed amulet around your neck. This Hidan you speak of is not to be trusted if he carries that symbol. Clearly he has something in mind to harm you and this village. We can't let this happen, and as a member of Konoha, it is my duty to help you at all costs."

"_My goodness…whoever marries Shikamaru will be the luckiest girl alive! He's so faithful, and caring, and-"_

"**Not to mention _lazy_."**

"Here we are, the Konoha Archive Library," Shika stated, snapping me out of my fantastic imagination.

Before entering the doorway, he turned his head to me and smirked.

"Is something wrong, Shikamaru?"

"How troublesome…I just realized since you're not a select member, you're going to have to be hidden from anyone else who might be in there."

My emerald orbs merely blinked in response, "Oh…?"

He nodded for a brief moment and surprised me with a, "Kage Kuroku no Jutsu!"

And before I knew it, my body became two-dimensional and dark as the night sky.

"What did you do to me, Shikamaru!" I asked out of fear.

"Calm down pinky…I just turned you into my shadow. Now you get to follow me wherever I go, and no one will suspect a thing."

"_How clever!"_

"**Very! Why can't you learn to do something like that? Oh wait, if you had only listened to me earlier to continue your training with Tsunade-san, then-"**

"Urusai, _Dobato_!"

Shikamaru flashed a look of confusion in my direction as I pretended I was crazy and didn't know what I was talking about.

I shut the metal door behind me as the two of us walked inside. The room was a bit dim, but easy enough to move around and see properly. It was a strange feeling being completely flat, following Shikamaru's every move.

"Looks like there's no one here…" he whispered, just in case his intuition proved him wrong.

We continued walking in silence and reached the other end of the library where I noticed wanted posters of S-class criminals wearing the same black cloak with red cloud patterns that perpetrator Zetsu wore. One was of a man named Uchiha Itachi, standing mysteriously by the Uchiha compound with subtext reading:

"_Turningthismanintotheauthoritieswillresultinalargeamountofreward."_

And finally that name rang a bell.

"_Sasuke's brother!"_

Shikamaru noticed me eyeing the poster and elaborated.

"His name is Uchiha Itachi, a mass murderer of the Uchiha clan and a traitor to this village. His brother Sasuke followed in his footsteps and defected Konoha right after we had taken our chunin exams. It's sad really, Uchiha Sasuke had such a bright future awaiting him and he wasted all of it for revenge. Shinobi like that are lost souls."

"Was Sasuke your friend?" I asked curiously.

He nodded, "No…I never liked Sasuke, but all the same, he was and still is a member of the Hidden Leaf village; he's a comrade and I'll put my life on the line to help him, that's the way of our village."

"_Whoever she is will be one lucky girl!"_

"**That****girl****could****be****you,****Sakura-chan!****" **Kobato coyly responded.

Immediately I dismissed those thoughts from my head and continued my search for information on the symbol carved into the amulet.

The red cloud pattern on the black cloak drawn onto the wanted poster brought back recent memories.

"Say…Shikamaru…those red clouds, what do they mean?"

"They are a symbol of the wars that rained blood down on the hidden rain village, Amegakure."

"_Amegakure? That's where Oba-san went!"_

"Sakura, this is the restricted section of the Konoha Archive Library. Here lies all the information you need to know about criminal organizations and ancient artifacts. You're not going to be able to accomplish anything as a shadow since you're currently transparent, so I'll just change you back."

Oh how I missed being three-dimensional!

"I'll stand towards the front of the restricted section. It would be too troublesome if you got caught. In the mean time, feel free to look around."

I nodded and began my intellectual journey into Konoha's past. Thank Kami I ran into Shikamaru today, this place has everything I'm looking for! Piles and piles of books lay open in front of me. I couldn't stop reading, it was all so interesting. One work of literature caught my eye. The cover was maroon with gold embroidery with the title written in the same color reading:

_Culture, History, Traditions, and Symbolism in the Society of Konohagakure_

Before I could open and read its contents, Shikamaru rushed in and warned me of someone else's presence. Quickly, I packed the book in my bag and was turned into a shadow by Shikamaru's jutsu. As we walked out, Shikamaru greeted a blackop ANBU squad member.

"_So THAT'S what they look like, I've heard so much about them."_

We exited the archive library and found that the sun had set completely. Shikamaru immediately transformed me back into human form.

"If you would like, Sakura, I can take you back home. It's too late for you walk back alone."

"**Say yes, Sakura-chan! Shikamaru's a nice guy, this could totally work out for the two of you!"**

"_Oh would you shut it, Kobato?"_

I turned my head to the village clock tower. It was almost midnight, and after that incident back in the forest, I didn't want to take any chances.

"I'd love it if you'd accompany me, Shikamaru."

We walked peacefully until he spoke.

"I'm not sure if this is too troublesome to ask, but after today, would you consider leaving your house more often?"

His question took me off guard; I wasn't sure how to respond.

Shika continued, "You're not as troublesome as I imagined you to be. You're nothing like Ino Yamanaka, she's the _epitome_, of all that's troublesome. I can't get one decent conversation out of her. All she talks about is herself, and clothes, and make up. It's such a drag. I still don't understand how Chouji and I put up with her during the academy days."

I merely smiled, rethinking Ino's antics.

"You're nothing like that, and it's a bit of an enigma to me how you both became friends. I think you have a lot to give to Konohagakure and you shouldn't waste all this potential you have. It's probably all easier said than done but I think you should stop worrying about your grandmother so much and enjoy your life."

"_Ugh…here we go again…what am I supposed to say to him?"_

Kobato said nothing in response, for she was probably unsure of what to say as well.

"I-I'll try my best…" was all I could utter.

"Good" he answered back as the moonlight hit his face, enabling me to easily detect his smile.

Our trip back was silent, yet comforting. I rethought Shikamaru's statement over and over again. I agreed with him wholeheartedly, but, because of my current circumstance which no one understands I can't do anything. I'm a prisoner for life to my own grandmother.

There finally came a point when the village road divided into two paths, one that would lead back home and the other to Kikyo Castle where the Haruno clan shrine was located.

"Ano…Shikamaru…?"

He gazed at me with eyes reflecting complete patience.

"I think I'm okay from here. I'll be fine getting home myself."

"You sure?" he asked.

I nodded, signaling a "yes".

The man standing before me sighed, "Alright Sakura, but be careful okay? It would be too troublesome if you got yourself into any sort of predicament."

"Don't worry Shikamaru, I promise you I'll be just fine."

He nodded, "And please consider what I said to you earlier. Konoha needs a pure white light to spread peace and hope. Many people here need all the help they can get, and I might just be one of them".

And with that, Shika disappeared from thin air, leaving me befuddled by his statement.

"**That was so sweet of him, ne Sakura-chan? He's a great catch!"**

My eyes rolled in response, "Kobato-chan, what are you, a matchmaker? Please just drop it, okay? I have no time for romance. I need to figure everything out before oba-san returns and it all starts by reading this book. Hopefully it will answer all my questions".

"**I'm guessing no sleep tonight?"**

"Nope" I said while walking towards Kikyo Castle.

"**Why are you going there?"**

"It's where I feel the safest."

**Author****'****s****Note:**I'll stop it right here. This was a long chapter! It took me forever to write it! Please give me your thoughts, preferably in the form of long and thorough reviews. I really like those. Again, if you have any questions or would just like to message me please do so! I always love hearing from my readers! I look forward to receiving more reviews from you all!

Have a very merry Christmas everybody, this was your early present. I'm thinking another chapter should be up sometime next week, so stay tuned for that!

Tootles my lovely fans!

~Sweetness


	12. Dawn of an Ill Fated Day

**Author's Note: **Hey everyone sorry for the delayed update. I've been enjoying my winter break; it's nice to have all this relaxation you know? Are a lot of you back in school yet? Don't worry, I have not been neglecting this story; I've actually been sitting myself down and writing everything out. That's important! Well no more of this chit chat, time to read!

**Chapter 12: Dawn of an Ill-Fated Day**

The cool midnight breeze kissed my skin while making my way towards Kikyo Castle. As my feet carried me over, the shrine slowly came into view. How enchanting and mysterious it looked. The way the moonlight shined upon the structure made it look even more sacred then it was thought to be.

After subconsciously turning my head, I spotted a garden east of the shrine and walked on an intricately designed bridge over looking a pond with a plethora of lily pads floating on the crystal clear surface. As I walked closer, I couldn't help but notice the abundance of flowers and colorful humming birds buzzing around. Before observing anything else, my enthralled emerald eyes caught sight of Uchiha Sasuke meditating peacefully near a bed of roses.

My lips etched a smile while staring at his tranquil figure.

"_It's been a while since I've relaxed. All this stress isn't good for my health. Why don't I join him?"_

This time there were no conflicting thoughts from either myself or Kobato. I quickened my pace and quietly made myself comfortable on the ground, mimicking his cross-legged form. My eyes closed while inhaling and exhaling in unity with the surrounding environment.

The calm and soothing gust of the wind came howling as my long tresses fluttered about. I couldn't help but feel so liberated. It felt like I was flying amongst the other birds!

Speaking of birds, the nightingales perched high atop the trees sang a harmonious and whimsical melody, one that I could spend all night listening to. The aria performed by these tiny critters provided the garden with a heavenly atmosphere, yet, something about the tune was haunting. Almost as if the creatures were yearning for something. In a way, I could relate. It seemed as if the powerful melody of the nightingales could be translated into the following question:

"What are you longing for, Haruno Sakura?"

This could be easily answered in one word.

"_Freedom…"_

"**Freedom?" **Kobato repeated, reading my mind as usual.

My eyes shifted towards the big, bright moon hovering above me while telepathically answering her question.

"_If I were free, I would be able to do anything I wanted. I could become strong and courageous by my own free will. I could fall in love with whoever I desired, allowing me to express my feelings easily. If I could do all of these things, this would ultimately lead to my happiness. I would have no strict boundaries. I would have the freedom to fly swiftly into the deep blue skies like a dove, and sing my heart out just like a nightingale."_

As my mind lingered on these thoughts, the sound of Sasuke's breathing put me at ease. All of my sorrow and negative feelings washed away completely while gazing upon his serene face. He was completely undisturbed and deep in thought. It seemed as if all the turmoil that went on in his life had vanished, and instead, a clear and pristine aura radiated from his untroubled soul.

"**Concentrate on yourself. Slowly begin to tune everything out around you."**

Briefly I cracked an eye open and directed my attention to Kobato, who situated herself next to me on the soft patch of luscious green grass.

Without answering her, I shut my eyes again and travelled deep within myself possibly searching for answers I've been looking for all along.

"_Kami, I feel like Bhudda…"_

"**Concentrate!" **she reminded me.

"_Alright, Dobato!"_

She really hates it when I call her that.

The intrapersonal journey was a bit tiring. I certainly commend the monks and others alike who partake in meditation. It's not easy to concentrate solely on yourself. There's so much mental strength involved, and it probably took them years to master meditation.

As all sorts of images appeared in my mind, one struck me in particular. In fact, it wasn't just a mere image. It felt like I was living this entire experience. I could see my body standing frozen, staring at something.

"Return what is rightfully _mine_", the 'something' demanded.

My feet magically began to move and walk towards the voice. I made it through the fog and avoided the malicious eyes peering at me through the lifeless trees.

The source of the voice spoke again, repeating what they said in a more threatening tone.

Finally, I stopped and raised my head to look above me. The fog cleared and the wind grew powerful. I held onto a tree trunk for support and stared ahead to see what would happen.

There he was with his jet black wings opened wide, ready to attack. His deep purple eyes narrowed at the sight of me as he began to crow harshly. It truly was a deafening sound. I covered my ears and shut my eyes in agony, hoping to block out the noise.

"It will be _mine_, Haruno Sakura…" he seethed.

The rinnegan he possessed was frightening, yet at the same time, mesmerizing.

"K-Karasu-sama?" I questioned.

The demonic raven king responded by glaring menacingly and flapping his wings violently, destroying everything in his path, and sending me back to consciousness.

My eyes reopened and immediately after, I rubbed them, startled by what happened.

"Oi, Dobato. You just broke my concentration."

I turned to face Uchiha Sasuke, staring at me with irritation evident on his once peaceful face.

My face flushed, "Gomen, Sasuke-kun…I didn't-"

"_Wait a second…I didn't make a peep. How did he know?"_

As if reading my mind, he answered, "I sensed the dramatic change in your chakra levels."

"_Amazing!"_

"So…you knew I was here the whole time?"

He smirked, indicating a sure fire, "yes."

"Why are you here? Go to bed."

"_What is he, my father?"_

I shrugged my shoulders, "I'm not sleepy."

Sasuke raised a brow suspiciously, "So you're just wandering around aimlessly in the middle of the night?"

Briefly I sighed; annoyed with all the explaining I had to do.

"Well sort of. I mean, I could ask _you _the same thing. Why are you here?"

Without hesitation, he replied, "I meditate in these gardens every night, to bring my mind at peace. When I do, flashbacks of my early childhood come back to me. Such simple times they were. I'll never forget them."

That statement brought sadness to my eyes, never recalling a moment of happiness over the course of my life.

"What was your favorite memory?" I asked the musing Uchiha.

He sighed as I watched his onyx orbs drastically change within a wide range of emotions from anger, to sorrow, to fear, to contentment.

"Fireflies…" he whispered.

"Pardon?" I inquired with confusion.

Finally his eyes fixated on me, elaborating on his most cherished memory.

"My mother and I used to sit outside on our porch every summer evening, watching the fireflies."

"_How wonderful." _I couldn't help but picture in awe.

"Did you ever run around and attempt to catch them?" I asked with continued interest.

He nodded, "No."

Nothing but a long silence filled the air, until Sasuke spoke again, engaging me in the conversation.

"Kaa-san used to tell me that fireflies bring hope in a time of darkness and despair. The light they emit is self-created. She reminded me that I'd eventually encounter hardship in my life. Once this happens I must remain positive, walk the path of righteousness, and avoid falling into darkness at all costs."

We remained quiet as my eyes watched the fireflies dance around us. Although enchanted by the sight, I grew uncomfortable of the distance of one of the insects closing in on me.

I was never, and will never, be fond of bugs.

Two of them made their way towards the top of Sasuke's head, and one climbed onto his nose. He looked so silly! It took all of my willpower not to laugh. Of course it didn't work, and instead, a small chuckle escaped from my lips as the embarrassed Uchiha became aware of my amusement.

Sasuke scowled, but shortly after, his expression faltered and I noticed a slight smile making its way onto his gorgeous face.

This time it was his turn to ask.

"What's yours?"

It took a while for me to sort through my memories since all I could remember were times of unhappiness. Soon after, a small flower planted right in front of me caught my eye. I examined it closely and realized it was a white rose.

Then, I recalled my flower symbology lessons with Yamanaka-san and Ino. Those were such fun times. As Yamanaka-san introduced a new flower to us, she would discuss not only the meaning behind it, but also, how they each pertained to her life.

"Going out on picnics with my friend Ino and her mom."

My statement did not seem to satisfy Sasuke as he asked about my grandmother.

"Do you have any special memories with her?"

My lips pursed after remembering all of the bitter moments I had endured because of the old woman.

"…No…"

He didn't say anymore regarding her, and I was thankful. She was a sensitive topic for me to handle.

"Ano…Sasuke-kun?"

He directed his attention towards me looking as indifferent as usual.

"What do you know about this symbol?" I asked while retrieving the amulet from my bag and handing it to him.

Sasuke studied it carefully and his eyes grew wide at the sight of the amulet.

"Where did you find this?"

"Someone gave it to me," I simply said.

"**Quickly ask Sasuke-san what the symbol means, Sakura-chan!"**

"So…any idea what it means?"

Truth be told, I felt like a complete idiot. It seemed as if the entire village was aware of the meaning behind this amulet excluding me.

Yeesh…where have I been?

"**Locked away from the world in a dungeon known as your house."**

I nodded with Kobato in agreement. She was definitely right about that.

"This symbol was worn by Akatsuki members. It was their identity," Sasuke informed me.

"_Akatsuki…?"_

My mind briefly rolled back to earlier in the day when Shikamaru and I explored the Konoha Archive Library and to the moment when I laid eyes on that wanted poster.

"_Akatsuki…the cloaked men with those red cloud symbols?"_

"Your brother was an Akatsuki member?" I couldn't help but utter.

I regret that I did after seeing the look on Sasuke's face. He was heartbroken and angry. His bangs covered his eyes so I could no longer see what he was feeling. However, it was evident that the young Uchiha was upset.

"G-Gomen…Sas-"

"Don't. Mention. Him. Again." Sasuke ordered.

I was taken aback. Suddenly fear overcame me. There was no way I planned on experiencing the monster inside of him as I did a while back when the two of us were stuck in the Uchiha compound because of the pouring rain.

He possessed a killer intent which I had no intention of provoking.

Avoiding the subject of Itachi, I asked specifically the purpose of the Akatsuki and who its members were.

"The Akatsuki was Konoha's most formidable opponent, consisting of an elite group of S-ranked ninja," Sasuke apprised.

I nodded my head, signaling for him to educate me further.

"And yes my brother, Uchiha Itachi, was an active member. He partnered with a man named Kisame, who hailed from the village hidden in the mist."

My eyes merely blinked, comprehending everything he just told me, in turn allowing me to infer something very important.

"So…you mean to tell me that these Akatsuki members betrayed their villages?"

He replied with a yes and I couldn't help but feel appalled.

"_Who would do such a terrible thing?"_

"**Apparently these people," **Kobato affirmed.

Momentarily the man before me looked down towards the ground while tightly clasping his scarred and calloused hands.

"Of course, I shouldn't be talking. I was a criminal myself, betraying my village. Everyone I knew and loved despised me. It was then when I realized what it was like to be in Itachi's place."

Sasuke's ice cold eyes immediately mollified. His guard was let down, leaving him in a vulnerable state. A tear slowly trickled down his pale cheek, and although it was tiny and could barely be detected, it was still a tear even if Uchiha Sasuke was the one who shed it.

"I-I'm sorry…about everything…"

Finally his eyes met mine.

"It was the past. What happened, happened."

This time, I refrained from delving into the subject anymore, and directed my interest towards Uchiha Sasuke other than the Akatsuki or the supposedly "wicked" motif adorning the amulet I placed back into my bag. Before I could say anything, he beat me to it.

"Have you sorted out your little problem with Naruto yet?"

As soon as Sasuke mentioned Naruto's name, I couldn't help but frown. Feelings of regret and guilt clouded my mind. How could I have been so stupid and selfish to let him go like that?

"No." I confirmed, nodding my head dejectedly.

"In fact, no one has heard from him," I quickly added.

"Strange…" Sasuke murmured.

My hands involuntarily rose, scrunching my hair as I lamented in frustration.

"I love Naruto dearly. How cruel was I to flat out reject him like that? He's been a close friend of mine all these years, and now everything's ruined because of me. I don't blame him if he hates my guts. I'm not worthy of his friendship."

Sasuke slightly leaned forward, "Since Naruto is a close friend of yours, you should know that he doesn't resent anyone."

I breathed slowly for a moment, taking in the Uchiha's words of wisdom.

"But what about everyone who's mistreated him? As much as it pains me to say it, Naruto was one of the most hated people in Konoha." I pointed out.

Sasuke's face remained calm, unfazed by each question.

"Naruto knows how to forgive and forget and that's how he maintains his optimism. Rejection is something he's been used to all his life, and since there was no one to care for him, he made it his ambition not to live miserably any longer. I know he'll make a great hokage someday."

My heart melted after hearing that last sentence. Uchiha Sasuke was now a different person in my eyes.

"_I wish I could take back all the mean things I said about him. Deep down, Sasuke really is a caring human being."_

"**So, you admit that you have feelings for Sasuke-san?"**

I narrowed my eyes after listening to Kobato's ridiculous statement.

"_No way! I realize now that Sasuke isn't an emotionless jerk, although, sometimes he can be. Now that I've witnessed another side of him, I will never see him differently again."_

"**I could see the two of you become friends!" **the dove beamed.

"_Hai…I think so too. Sasuke isn't like anyone else in the village. He has so much potential to do great things, and I could learn a lot from him."_

As seconds, minutes, and hours passed gradually, I found myself unable to function properly as a result of sleep deprivation. Hoping that by opening the book I set out to study in the first place, I'd be able to put my need for rest aside and make progress.

Needless to say, that wasn't working out for me. Mimicking the mannerisms of a canine, I settled cozily on the soft bed of flora. As I lay my head down, Sasuke informed me that he was ready to leave.

Of course, since I was exhausted, it took a while for my brain to process what he just said.

"Oh…I-I'm coming too," I mumbled, tagging along.

In the mean time, I struggled picking myself back up. Once I did, my feet stumbled forward and a medium-sized rock stood in the way before I was able to break my fall, instead causing me to plummet head first onto the ground.

"**Oh…that looks painful! Are you alright, Sakura-chan?"**

Slowly, I lifted my head and placed it on its side facing Kobato who stood by, smiling coyly.

"_What do you think?" _I snapped.

"**Dear, Kami! You really _are_ cranky without any proper sleep! Remind me never to catch you in a foul mood again."**

"Get up, Dobato," Sasuke adjured while hovering above me mysteriously.

I turned with my back against the ground, locating his onyx eyes which blended in alongside the night sky.

"Five more minutes…." I pleaded incoherently.

From the tone of his voice, I could tell Sasuke was smirking.

"Fine, if you want to be eaten alive by the blood sucking worms, then-"

He didn't have to say anymore. I forced myself off the ground and tried to keep my balance while literally dragging myself behind the smooth and steady Uchiha.

"_How is he not tired yet? It's two in the morning!"_

"**From my observation, it seems as if Sasuke-san has trained himself to function on a certain amount of sleep."**

"_How is that possible?"_

"**Simple! He spends a large portion of his day training and building up stamina."**

"_Well good for him…"_

Kobato didn't respond. I didn't expect her to. After all, I was ready to give out, leading to grumpy behavior which she most likely didn't feel like dealing with at the moment.

Suddenly, Sasuke stopped in his tracks, turning his body to face me.

"Something wrong, Uchiha?" I asked sullenly since he was interrupting my desire to find a place nearby and crash.

"I don't think you should walk back home alone. Konoha isn't the safest at night."

"_Wow, so now the inconsiderate bastard is showing some concern?"_

"**Control yourself, Sakura-chan!"**

I rubbed my eyes, trying to focus on our conversation.

"I…don't want to go home. I don't want to spend the night there…"

Sasuke held the same emotionless façade, waiting for me to say more.

"Ano…It's just that my oba-san snores a lot. She's really loud. Even _I_ can hear her, and my room is at the opposite end of the upstairs hallway."

His expression was rather difficult to decipher. Part of me wanted to think that he believed my fabricated excuse, but another side of me thought the opposite. Uchiha Sasuke was a smart man and could easily see past a notoriously awful liar like me.

Whether he believed me or not, Sasuke said nothing of the matter.

"At the rate you're going, it'll be dawn before we reach the Uchiha compound."

He said nothing else and stepped forward whispering a, "Oyasumi nasai, Dobato."

"**Sakura-chan?"**

"_Ugh…my head…"_

"**Sakura-chan, you're awake!"**

"_Just ignore her and go back to sleep."_

"**Sakura-chan!"**

"_I'll just keep my eyes shut so she'll have to go away and stop bothering me…"_

"**I heard that, Sakura-chan!"**

My eyes flew open, wondering why she refused to let me enjoy my beauty sleep.

"**Hurry! The sun is rising, look how beautiful it is outside!"**

Positioning my body face up staring at the ceiling, I scanned the room and familiarity hit me, realizing I had woken up in this same vicinity before. Except, I was in a different room this time."

"We're in the Uchiha compound, aren't we?"

"**Hai…Sasuke-san said you were walking too slowly. Instead he knocked you out temporarily and carried you over his shoulder all the way back here, and yes, you were sleeping in one of the _many _guest rooms the Uchiha compound has available. You should certainly thank Sasuke-san for his kind gesture."**

_She_ saw it as an act of kindness…_I _saw it as an act of spiteful arrogance!

"After intentionally knocking me out like that? How obnoxious of him! You can forget it, Kobato."

I buried my head back into my pillow, concentrating on anything other than Kobato's noise.

"**Kudasai, Sakura-chan! Please come and watch the sun rise with me."**

Exasperated with her nonstop pleas, immediately, I jumped out of bed and followed the starry-eyed creature out onto the wooden porch, watching the vibrant colors painted onto the brightening celestial canvas.

Before I could take it all in and enjoy the scene any further, the sliding door behind me caught my attention.

"Slept well?" The voice asked, most likely not caring whether I did or not.

I didn't have to turn around to figure out who was addressing me, but did so anyway to be respectful.

Sasuke wore attire that was entirely meant for combat, indicating that he must have been training. To answer his question, I nodded plainly and turned back to watch the sun rise.

The Uchiha stepped forward and sat nearby, close enough that we could make conversation but far enough so he could keep his distance, and I was perfectly fine with that.

"Did you get any rest?" I questioned, breaking the silence.

He nodded as well, continuing to stare out into the periwinkle blue skies.

"Were you training earlier?" I asked again.

This time, he made eye contact, making me feel somewhat important.

"It's part of my morning routine. I sleep for a couple hours, train, and sit on this very spot watching the sunrise."

"Wow…" was all I could utter, unsure of what else to say.

"**How about a thank you?"**

I smiled to myself, ruminating over how much of a mother Kobato has been to me. Many times she's been oppressive and pushy, but all the same, I loved every bit of her overpowering warmth and affectionate nature.

"Ano…arigato, Sasuke-kun…for generously allowing me to spend the night."

Sasuke's eyes flashed feelings of appreciation and gratitude, even though I couldn't see them clearly on his face.

"Douitashimashite…_Dobato_."

My lips formed a pout while averting my emerald eyes, annoyed with this newly pronounced nickname of mine. I figured it'd be rude to tell him to stop calling me that, so I didn't say anymore concerning the matter. Maybe the less I mention it, he'll eventually forget.

"So…has this always been your morning routine?"

I noticed his facial features relaxed after asking the question.

"No. I didn't start until I was about nine."

Then, his visage hardened.

"For years I pushed myself to train as hard I possible could, to avenge my clan. The more I slept, the more I wasted my time. Life's too short; I needed to quickly devote myself to get stronger each passing day."

Sasuke paused as the both of us observed a raven disembark onto a cherry blossom tree branch. The striking colors of black and pink did not mix, it was unnatural. Something that was so delicate and pure as a flower alongside this ominous-spirited creature? Now, somehow that didn't sit well with me. Especially after watching the vermin tear the blossoms apart and dropping them onto the ground. Just seeing the animal rip the elegant flowers into pieces made me shiver in disgust, as if it were slowly picking apart my insides.

Alternatively, I turned my attention towards Uchiha Sasuke who continued his tale, trying my best to rid the disturbing image from my mind.

"As for watching the sun rise, I see it as the only form of hope I can look forward to in my life. It helps me to look forward instead of sulking over what happened in the past and achieve my long awaited goal."

You know, I didn't quite agree with his mission in life, to avenge his clan in this way. Sasuke says this is important to him, but I don't see an inkling of happiness his eyes. It wasn't my place to say anything, for it was his business. All I could do was listen attentively and support him.

"I hope you achieve that goal someday, Sasuke-kun."

An ear-piercing crow sounded from the raven, which descended from the cherry blossom tree and made its way over to Sasuke and me. It waddled more towards my direction and leaned forward, stretched out its chest, and thrashed its wings stormily.

Instinctively, I scooted myself up a step on the porch trying to get as possible. It wouldn't leave me alone, and I was scared to _death_.

The raven screeched again, calling upon more of its kind, frightening me even more.

"What's going on here, Sasuke-kun?"

He seemed calm about the whole thing, as he usually was.

"They're not used to seeing visitors, don't worry, they're harmless."

I couldn't help but stare at him like he was a complete moron.

"You call _that_ harmless, Sasuke!" I countered, alarmed by the group of birds beginning to surround me as I stood and made my way towards the inside of the compound.

"**You better start running, Sakura-chan! They're dangerous!"**

"_You think I don't know that!"_

"Katon: Gōkakyū no Jutsu!"

I peeked back outside, watching Sasuke summon a roaring flame, shooing the birds away.

"You can come out now. There's not need to be frightened."

Slowly, I slid the door back open, amazed by what the Uchiha was capable of.

"Kami, that was _incredible_!"

He raised a brow, most likely surprised by my reaction, "It was just a simple technique. I don't see why you're so excited about it. Then again, you're just an insignificant civilian who can't fend for herself."

"_If Kami would only give me the strength to punch the living daylights out of this guy!"_

"Well…it's time I leave. Thanks again."

As I exited the Uchiha territory, Sasuke spoke one last sentence, allowing me to ponder all the future possibilities I hoped to encounter sometime soon.

"Good luck in all your future endeavors."

**Author's Note: **And there you have it folks! That was chapter 12! Hope you liked it! Please let me know what you thought, what you liked/improvements that could be made/anything else. I'd like to know how you're all doing, and what you're up to! PUH-LEASE I would really love it if more people reviewed, I put a lot of time into this chapter. If more of you do, I promise to make the next chapter extra long!

Love you all!

Tootles,

~Sweetness


	13. Elegy of the Nightingale

**Author's Note: **Ohayoooooo! What's up? You want to know something? In the words of our beloved Shikamaru, "Life is such a drag". It's so BORING! Why can't there be some cool adventure like fanfiction? Wouldn't that be great? Please update me on your lives since there's nothing exciting going on in mine. Well here's a long chappie to keep you busy! Enjoy!

**Chapter 13: Elegy of the Nightingale**

Kobato-chan and I stepped into the realm of the Haruno clan. It was time that I fully excavated its history and learned the truth. After all, my mind was still shrouded in confusion and uncertainty.

Thinking back on the time spent with Uchiha Sasuke was well…I wasn't sure how to describe it. He was some guy I hardly knew. Although, strangely enough, he was so open. Every time we were together, there was this huge explosion of mixed feelings stirring inside of me. Part of me disliked him because of his cold attitude and hot-headed arrogance. Yet deep inside of me, I get this feeling that there's just something more about him.

Could he possibly be toying with my emotions?

Ino, a seasoned courter, explained to me many times of her misadventures in past relationships. She said it was always the ex-boyfriend(s) who brought about all the problems, and she was just an innocent bystander.

I had my doubts of course. Ino is quite a trouble maker herself. She's infamous throughout Konoha for gawking at men, viewing them as eye candy, and stealing them for a day while she would break up with her current boyfriend because he's "not quite fulfilling her needs".

As a partner in a relationship, Ino's loyalty wavers. However, as a friend, she's undoubtedly sincere and trustworthy. We've been there for each other through the thick and thin. Our outlook on life and relationships may be at odds, but that doesn't affect our friendship in any way, shape, or form. She encourages me to dive in and take chances by pursuing a relationship, but, I decline and she respects my decision.

It's true though that as people get older, they mature. Time has definitely changed Ino-pig. She grows weary of the party scene and longs for a steady relationship, in which she would no longer remain indecisive and be confident in her choice of a partner. You know, she's even mentioned marriage quite a few times. The thought of Yamanaka Ino getting married was surreal to me! Not that I want to be a bad friend and say she's incapable of getting married, that's surely not what I'm getting at. It's just that it's weird to see this sudden change in her. I do think that if Ino really puts effort into a future relationship, it could really work and make her happy.

Somehow I have an inkling of a feeling that she's changed so suddenly because of Sai. She's had her eye on him for a couple years now. The desperate girl went as far as asking out Shikamaru right in front him to provoke jealousy. That plan turned out to be a failure all because Shikamaru rejected her, claiming she was too troublesome. He says that about _everyone_ though.

Sai is completely oblivious to Ino's advances towards him. He occupies himself with his artwork and has his pieces on display every year at the annual Konoha art exhibition. Selling his work is partly how he makes a living, the other means, is by fighting for his village as a shinobi.

The thought of becoming a shinobi makes my heart race. It seems so dangerous yet reinvigorating. How great of a feeling it must be to come home and know that you fought for your homeland and your loved ones? That dream, however, feels so far away. At this rate, I'll never become stronger.

I lost my chance with Tsunade-san. She most likely will never take me back. My only hope is to commit to this mission Kobato-chan has given me and complete it successfully.

In order to do that, I need to stop spending my time with Sasuke. It's not like I have feelings for him, they faded long ago when I was about fifteen or sixteen. Briefly they returned when we met in the forest a while back, but that was it. All I feel right now is the beginning of a possible friendship. Although, now that I think about it, nothing good could come out of a friendship between us.

Those ravens made it clear that I was not allowed back onto Uchiha territory. Then there was that "daydream", or whatever you want to call it while I was meditating, when Karasu-sama looked as if he were ready to kill me. Kobato-chan told me while on my way to the shrine that ravens were traditionally seen as ill-omened creatures who forewarned of a tragedy or some morbid outcome. She said that they must have been advising me never to see Sasuke again, or some sort of catastrophic event would take place. I had no purpose in forming a romantic relationship with him anyway, for it was not part of my destiny. I can't love anyone, remember? Nevertheless, I was secretly hoping that we could be friends. We got along decently, but on the other hand, maybe its best we didn't continue to associate with each other. A lot of his negative qualities overshadowed his positive assets.

Thank Kami Sasuke's out of the picture. It's time now to focus on what's most important to me: my oba-san. She needs to be healed, and I'll do whatever it takes to rid of all the darkness in her heart and replace it with joy and love.

Because oba-san is the only person I should truly love in my life. Without her, I wouldn't be here.

I scanned the entire room and climbed up the ledge, finding myself in front of the diamond tablet with the inscription of the sage of the six path's message. Instead of being stuck down here underground in an abandoned shrine, the engraving should be shared with the world above.

"**Do not lose hope, Sakura-chan because one day it will be when you restore peace, love, and harmony to the world."**

My finger slowly traced the message, and once I did, a flash of light emanated briefly. After finally regaining my sight, the tablet opened, revealing a staircase down below.

Confidently, I held my torch firmly in my hand and journeyed down the steps with Kobato-chan helping to guide me from the front. The stones making up the steps were not paved well and could easily cause someone to trip and break a bone. Since there were no railings, I did the sensible thing and used my left hand to grasp onto the wall on the other side of me, ensuring there was support so I wouldn't fall.

As I finally reached the next floor down, the light radiating off of the torch reflected off of a glass frame. Within the casing was a diagram, depicting a family tree of some sort. My fingers traced the lineage in each generation and the only name I recognized was Chiyo. Next to her name was a symbol I was not familiar with. It was not the sign of the leaf village as I had expected. Instead there was an hourglass which stood out from all the leaf symbols. At that moment, I flipped to the index page of my symbols book from the Konoha Archive Library and found that this was the emblem of another village.

"Sunagakure…?"

"**Your oba-san is from Sunagakure? Wow, never expected that!"**

"She never told me that."

"_Then again…she never tells me anything."_

"Is Sunagakure anything like Konoha, Kobato?"

She nodded her head and briefly shut her eyes, envisioning this mysterious land known as Sunagakure.

"**Suna is so different. The village lies within the land of wind, which is located southwest of the land of fire and borders the land of rivers and Amegakure. The village is situated within a desert, blazing hot and notorious for its quicksand path to get to the village. Since the environment is completely different, so are the jutsus."**

"So what type of elemental jutsus do these people use?" I wondered.

"**Wind releases," **She stated simply.

For a while I lingered on oba-san's lack of faith in me.

"Ano…I just don't understand what the big secret is. Why couldn't she just tell me she was from Suna? It's not a big deal or anything. Am I not trustworthy?"

"**She may be trying to protect you from something…" **Kobato proclaimed.

Before I could muse further on the subject, Kobato's pure white aura surrounding her allowed me to notice the doorway close by. I had expected something enchanting and mystical inside, something that would surely amaze me. As it turned out, I had just walked into a plain room with nothing special. The walls were painted a deep red, with linings of black and white behind one particular chair. It was a perfectly round table, enough to seat ten people. The table itself was wooden, with a white circle carved dab smack in the middle. On each side of the inner circle, were lightly sketched ivory wings stretching to either side of the structure. The piece of art looked as if it were "in the moment" as the artist portrayed it to be flying while on the table.

It was _interesting_ to say the least. I had never seen something like this ever. The roundness of the table reminded me the perfect symmetry of the circular shape on the back of my clothes, the symbol of the purity ring.

"What's the purpose of this room?"

"**This was a meeting space for Haruno clan members," **Kobato answered.

"But there are only ten chairs…" I pointed out.

"**And…?" **she replied, not understanding where I was going with this.

"And," I paused while rethinking my statement making sure it was worded correctly.

"I'm sure there were more than ten members in the Haruno clan. Were only a select few chosen to meet here? Was the king one of them?"

"**No, the king did not participate in these meetings because of his other duties as a ruler."**

"Than who-"I began.

Kobato-chan interrupted, fully aware what I was going to ask.

"**A select number of clan members and non clan members were chosen to guard the purity ring."**

Something about that statement didn't seem right to me.

"But…why would the king entrust the purity ring's protection to non Haruno clan members?"

Kobato giggled, **"That's how our clan created a long standing dynasty for centuries. Each and every ruler believed in a democratic system of government. He wanted the common people to be represented, thus, forming a diverse group made up of various clan members with equal rights. This was the reason why all members arranged themselves in a circular configuration, to ensure equality."**

My bright green orbs roamed around the room and came across a scroll gracefully hanging from the wall. It was the only piece of literature I noticed here other than the portraits of what looked like previous rulers and highly revered clan members. On the scroll, was a form of kanji I wasn't familiar with. I moved closer trying to decipher the language.

"I can't read this…" I alleged while carefully observing the scroll.

Kobato situated herself on the top of my head to ensure comfort while eyeing the printed composition and shortly leaning her head to one side.

"**It says, 'Home of the Entaku no Kishi.'" **

"Entaku no Kishi?" I repeated, hoping the dove would provide an explanation.

She nodded, **"Hai…that's the name of this distinguished group of men. To put it in simpler terms, they are also known as the Knights of the Round Table."**

"_Interesting…"_

My feathered companion suggested we leave, observing my exhausted state.

"**We'll come back later, Sakura-chan. For now, you really need to rest."**

As much as I wanted to continue to research and learn more about my clan's history, Kobato-chan was right. I hadn't gotten any proper sleep for a while and I must be cautious about my health.

I followed Kobato-chan out into the bright yellow sun, warming my body and stimulating my senses. We walked into the busy streets of the village, watching people mingle and get to their respective work places. I continued to drag myself sluggishly back home and bid Kobato-chan a, "Good morning," while drifting off into a deep slumber.

… … … … … … … … … … … …

"**Sakura-chaaaaaan!"**

Annoyed by Kobato's sudden outburst, I placed my fluffy pillow overtop the back of my head hoping not to hear anymore of the bird's nonsense. Suddenly I felt the cool breeze making its way into my room with the sound of the other birds chirping outside. Immediately, I realized Kobato had opened the window and proceeded to close it.

"Why did you open my window?"

She smiled, **"To wake you up, of course! Time to get out of bed, Sakura-chan! It's almost lunchtime."**

I rolled my eyes, showered, changed into a clean pair of clothes and headed out for the day. On my way out of the house, Kobato and I spotted a team of paramedics rushing to the hospital.

One person at that moment crossed my mind: Hyuga Hinata.

It's been a few days since Naruto's announcement to the world of his engagement to the princess. Thoughts of his disgusting lie made me want to beat the pulp out of that idiot, or, in Sasuke's words, "The dobe."

I'm afraid of how Hinata will take the news once she finds out none of this is true. She'll be heartbroken.

Finally, we arrived to our destination and immediately checked in with a receptionist asking for the said patient. The kind brunette woman sifted through her files and turned her attention back to me.

"Lady Hokage discharged Hinata-sama a day or so ago and requested that she stay at home and rest."

"_Thank Kami she's alright!"_

"Arigato" I thanked the woman while rushing through the glass doors and went on my way towards the Hyuga palace.

Hinata has always been close to me, since we were young girls. She was homeschooled all her life because of her status as a member of the royal family. Hyuga Hiashi, Hinata's father, hired tutors of all kinds and devoted a strict schedule to caring for her. In a way, Hina and I practically lived the same life. Although, I'm not sure whose situation is better.

The Hyuga palace looked the same since the last time I was here. Only once I came, along with oba-san, to discuss important matters with the royal family. This was when I was only eight years old, and it was a day when I made a true friend.

This overarching structure right in front of me was of a magnificent size. It sat atop a hill overlooking the entire village, I'm sure if a person were on the very top floor, one could see past the gates of Konoha into the outside world. On the exterior, the manor was white with gold trimmings supported by myriads of columns. It was intimidating since I was this itty bitty girl standing in front of the castle, trying to make my way in. My feet successfully climbed the stairs, eventually facing two men clad in white linen uniform.

"Halt, who goes there!" One of them spoke, narrowing his eyes at me.

I sheepishly waved my hand, signaling to them that I had no ill intentions.

"Konnichiwa, my name is Haruno Sakura. I am a good friend of Hyuga Hinata and have come to stop by and see how she's feeling."

The two guards looked at each other and turned back to face me suspiciously.

"Gomen Nasai, Sakura-san. I am afraid we cannot let you pass. Hyuga Hiashi-sama has placed strict orders not to allow anyone inside without his permission. You do not have an appointment with any of the clan members and you come here claiming to stop by and visit Hinata-sama. That sounds quite strange to me."

"_Oh just great…I was afraid of this…"_

"**No need to be afraid for long! A good friend of yours should be walking out those doors in a couple seconds!"**

Before I could say anything, Kobato's prediction came true as the double doors opened revealing Konoha's new Hyuga Tenten-hime. Her beautiful brunette locks were let down freely, flowing in the calm breeze. As I had expected, Tenten's kimono was not over the top and flamboyant, but light and tasteful. The glossy pistachio shade of her outfit was a stark contrast to her dark hair, but it suited the young woman exquisitely along with the white and pink accents of the obi tied around her waist.

Needless to say, Tenten-hime was breathtaking.

"**She's looking beautiful!"**

"_She is, isn't she?" _I couldn't help but agree.

As she stood in the presence of the guards, they bowed before her. Soon enough, she caught sight of me and ran while smiling joyfully.

"Oh Sakura, I'm so happy to see you! I miss you so much…" She said while wrapping me into a tight hug.

I too relished the moment, seeing how we hadn't had the chance to talk in a long time.

"I miss you too, Tenten-hime" while letting go and attempting to bow before she stopped me.

"Sakura, you're one of my best friends. Please continue to treat me as I was before. No bowing, no calling me 'hime'. Tenten or Ten-chan will do just fine thank you very much."

"Okay, I promise. So how's married life?"

Deep down I was thrilled to see her reaction. Tenten was _beaming_. A gargantuan grin formed on her face as her eyes shone so brightly, even the sun itself had the right to be envious of the passionate flames igniting from her warm chocolate brown irises.

"Words cannot describe how happy I am, Saku. I wake up every morning alongside Neji and the sight of him makes me smile."

Tenten's proclamation of love brought me to tears of joy as she carried on her story of marital bliss.

"To be honest…I was scared the moment I said 'I do', but even after the ceremony Neji upheld his vow to me. He's been such a loving and caring husband. We tell each other everything and I smother him with kisses."

At this moment, her face grew pink. Never have I ever recalled Tenten to be this overly romantic. Although, I don't blame her! She's found someone who makes her happy, and once someone has that, nothing else matters.

"We make an effort to spend all of our time together. I feel miserable whenever he's away on some mission or when he has to attend some royal family meeting. I can't let go of him. I don't think I'll ever stop loving him. Every night I thank Kami-sama for all he has given me and allowing me to live alongside someone as beautiful as Hyuga Neji."

"That's wonderful, Tenten. I'm so happy for you," I beamed excitedly while holding her hands in assurance.

We let go as she wondered what brought me here to the Hyuga palace.

"Ano…I wanted to check up on Hinata and see how she's doing."

Her brow rose in recognition of what happened a few days before.

"Oh, I've been meaning to talk to you about that Sakura-chan. Naruto and Hinata are engaged to be married? I had no idea they were together in the first place. I don't think Naruto even realized she existed, as mean as that sounds."

Fearful of making things more complicated and an accidental blurting of this information to Hinata made me decide not to tell Tenten the truth.

I shrugged my shoulders, "You know…I had no idea either."

She seemed to be pondering the whole situation until she spoke again.

"Hmmm…well I guess it was a surprise for everyone then. I'm afraid of how her father will take the news. He's never been fond of Naruto after discovering the truth behind his past. You see right after the ceremony in Kikyo Castle's courtyard, Hiashi-san left Konoha for some important affair to take care of. He's been gone since the wedding and should be returning today."

"What does Neji think of this whole thing?"

Tenten sighed, a little overwhelmed of what was soon to come while placing a tuft of hair behind her ear.

"He's not sure _what_ to think exactly. Neji cares for Hinata a lot and wants her to be happy. On the other hand, he's worried about how people will view the Hyuga family if she marries Naruto. My husband believes it will taint his clan's reputation. It's a sad situation really. Hinata's been so happy ever since she found out about her engagement to Naruto. She literally skips joyfully around the palace and has been trying to leave its premises to see him but she can't because the servants want her to rest. She's so lively, more than I have ever seen her. She'll be so disappointed if her father rejects the idea. We all can't bear to see her unhappy."

"**Poor Hinata…"**

"Tenten, would you like to accompany me to Hinata's room?" I offered.

She briefly turned her attention to the double doors up front and faced me again.

"I'd love to, Saku. The problem is that the tea country's daimyo invited Neji and me for tea and crumpets. He's a close friend of Hiashi-san and is apparently dying to meet me. I can't get out of this one. Plus, Hinata and I spent all morning with each other. She must be sick of me now."

I chuckled, "Okay."

"Oh, were the guards letting you in earlier? I presume not since you're still outside."

"They didn't actually. Would you mind telling them to allow me inside?"

She grinned wildly, "No problem!"

I followed my friend to one of the guards who bowed before her yet again and glared at me.

"Tenten-hime, how are you?" he spoke as politely as he could.

"Fine, I'll have you know that Haruno Sakura here is a close friend of mine and Hinata's. Please let her through these doors."

Without any complaints the man did as he was told and with a pounding of his staff onto the ground, the doors opened revealing an opulent chandelier hanging from the ornately molded ceiling and a double stair case curving inward towards the foyer.

I stepped onto the marble floor, taking in the magical sight.

"_Wow…it's even more beautiful than I remember it to be."_

Servants surrounded every corner dressed in semi-formal attire. The women wore plain dresses in an array of earth tones while the male workers stayed true to the old fashioned black hakama loose-fitted pants and white short sleeved tops. They stared at me in astonishment, either wondering who I was or dumbfounded by my pink hair.

Probably a little bit of both.

"Ohayo, Sakura."

I turned my head to face none other than Hyuga Neji. He looked quite handsome in his gray hakama pants and black top with a white obi tied around his waist. The Hyuga's usually long hair was tied into a high ponytail. I was never one for men with long hair, but it really did suit him.

"Hello, Neji. How are you?" I asked formally, trying to start a conversation.

"Just fine, I take it you are here to see Hinata?"

"Hai," I nodded, gesturing a "yes."

"I see…well she should be in her room. Please stay as long as you would like and make yourself comfortable wherever you please. If you need anything, the servants will cater to all of your desires."

On that note, Neji stepped away and directed his attention towards the servants who were still gaping at me.

"My friends, we have a guest. Her name is Haruno Sakura, a long time friend of the Hyuga family. Do your best to make her feel welcome. I hope to hear good things when I return."

"Thank you for your kindness, Neji," I said while bowing.

He merely raised his hand, stopping me.

"Please…you're a friend, remember?"

One of the guards who stood by the front door approached the prince and informed him of a carriage that was now waiting outside for the couple.

"I'll be right there," Neji told the man.

He turned to me again, "Take care, Sakura."

"You too," I replied.

Tenten made her way over and enraptured me into a warm hug again.

"It was great seeing you today, Saku. I informed the guards outside to let you in whenever you're here. I'll check my schedule ahead of time and send you a letter telling you which day I'm free so we can spend a day together. It'll be just like old times."

"I look forward to it and make sure you enjoy yourself today. Eat lots of crumpets for me," I joked while letting go of her embrace.

She giggled, "I sure will! And _you_ make sure that Hinata is alright, I'm entrusting you to this responsibility, Haruno Sakura!"

"Tenten, my love, let's go. We're getting late," Neji notified her.

She nodded to him not before saying one last thing.

"Oh and don't mind the servants. They've never seen a beautiful girl with pink hair before. They're afraid of Neji and Hiashi-san but adore me and Hinata-chan. Whatever you need, please do not hesitate to ask them, okay?"

Before I could respond, Tenten wrapped me into a hug again and ran towards Neji exiting the palace while holding hands.

"**How sweet!"**

I couldn't help but smile at the sight; it was nice see how happy Neji made Tenten.

As the door closed shut, I was now all alone in the palace with the gawking attendants. They seemed astounded by the sight of me, it was strange.

"**Tenten-chan was probably right. I don't think they've seen someone with pink hair before."**

"_Any idea where Hinata's room might be?"_

"**Not a clue."**

Reluctantly, I walked over to the group of people and smiled as genuinely as I possibly could, still uncomfortable with the situation.

"Ano…It's nice to meet all of you. As Neji-san had previously said, my name is Haruno Sakura. I've come to visit Hinata-san. Would any of you know the way to her chamber by any chance?"

The servants merely glanced at each other and bowed before me, creating an awkward and uneasy atmosphere, until one of them came from within the crowd and walked towards me. The girl looked to be about fifteen. She possessed short brown hair, dark eyes, and fair skin. She was a shy and soft-spoken adolescent who conversed with me while facing the ground. Her face was flushed red with embarrassment, and her tone was barely above a whisper.

Her attire consisted of a tanned, worn out dress. It was baggy and the tailoring was most certainly not attention to detail. It was short-sleeved, revealing her bruised arms and overworked hands. Underneath the girl's deep clouded eyes were dark circles indicating that she hadn't had much sleep recently.

I lifted her chin so her eyes could meet mine.

"I didn't quite hear you, would you care to say that again please?"

This time, without my hand supporting her chin, she spoke a little louder.

"I-I can show you where Hinata-sama's chamber is," she spoke shyly.

"Please lead the way, and it was nice meeting all of you," I said while bowing to the servants respectfully and following my guide.

We first climbed the towering staircase and came across various rooms. Along each corridor were doors and doors and doors. One could easily get lost in this place.

"_If this is big, I wonder what Kikyo Castle was like…"_

"**HUGE! It was much bigger, probably twice the size of the Hyuga palace."**

"_Dear, Kami that's big!"_

Instead of keeping to myself, I turned my attention to the young girl who walked just ahead of me. The way she moved looked as if there was a loss of life. Her head was still facing the ground, possibly contemplating something. Her shoulders were slouching and her arms were not placed by her sides, but in front of her body allowing her hands to hold each other tightly. It appeared as if she had given up on life completely, and she was so young.

"**I can feel her aura. It's very blue…maybe she'll cheer up if you say something?"**

To get the girl's attention, I ran up and walked by her side smiling.

"Hi!" I started gleefully.

She briefly turned to me and focused on the ground below us again.

"**Don't think that worked…"**

"_No duh, Dobato…"_

Before Kobato could respond with anything else, I attempted to initiate a conversation.

"So…" For a moment I quickly glanced at the girl, wondering if she had the decency to look my way.

She was still too wrapped up in her own thoughts.

"How long have you been working for the Hyuga family?"

Her eyes met mine for a brief second, "Seven months…" before turning away.

Silence unfortunately dawned upon us again, irritating me even more. This girl was so quiet. I had no idea what her actual voice sounded like because it was barely audible.

"Ano…you have a really pretty voice. You should speak up more," I couldn't help but say.

I was not ashamed at all of what I just said. It was true! From what I've heard of her voice, it was sweet and hopeful. Almost like music to my ears.

She couldn't help but stare, just like the other servants. Her eyes grew wide, allowing me to see into her soul. She seemed to be recalling a memory, as I detected a flash of euphoria in her dark orbs. Her eye brows rose, allowing her face to be more open. Her lips curled up into a tiny smile as she finally held eye contact with me.

"Arigato…"

I giggled, "See? Your voice is so wonderful to hear! Please speak more often, okay?"

Her smile grew even wider and the twinkle in her eye did not go unnoticed by me.

"What's your name?" I inquired as we stopped in the middle of the hallway.

The radiant smile did not leave her face.

"Matsuri," she answered with ease.

She lent a hand for me to shake, and I gladly accepted while she said, "It's nice to meet you, Sakura-san."

We continued to walk in peace as I asked the next question.

"Do you like it here?"

Thankfully I could sense that she was no longer uncomfortable.

"I do…"

It was hard to keep the conversation going, for I was the one putting in the effort while she just listened and remained quiet. Hopefully getting Matsuri to open up completely would be worth it, she seemed like a genuine human being.

"Are you from around here?" I asked.

She nodded, briefly pursing her lips, "No…I'm from Sunagakure, it's a village located in the land of wind."

"_That's the second time I've heard of this place, it's making me so curious!"_

"Oh…so do you go back off and on to visit your family?"

A light sigh escaped the girl's lips, "No…I haven't been there in the last three years…"

"Why not?" I couldn't help but ask. Honestly, I felt bad for prying into her personal life. Although, to me, it seemed like a harmless question. I wasn't sure where exactly to draw the line. Maybe she was thinking the same thing?

She reverted back to her abnormally bashful self and bit her lip, shutting her eyes momentarily. As she did this, I noticed faint tear stains mar her youthful skin. I tried my best to empathize with this girl, but it was hard since I had no idea what was going on.

"Ano, Matsu-"

Matsuri sped up her pace as I had to move quickly to keep up with her. Finally, we reached the end of the hall outside one of the rooms where we stopped.

"Here is Hinata-sama's chamber, enjoy your visit Sakura-san. If there is anything you need please inform us lowly servants," She spoke bitterly without looking at me in the eye.

Before I could give her proper thanks, she sped away and left me alone.

"_How strange…"_

"**Very! Well, at least you made the effort to talk to her. That's what counts, Sakura-chan."**

I couldn't help but stare back into the direction she fled. Something was obviously wrong; she clearly didn't want to tell me. It's best that I didn't butt into people's lives and continue to live my own.

Finally, the long awaited moment, I entered Princess Hinata's bed chamber. One aspect which struck me to be different was the size of her bed. It was larger than the last time I was here. Clearly it would be since she was eight back then. This time, a canopy was draped elegantly around the lilac-themed bedstead. In fact, the color satisfied the entire room. Smaller sofas were placed in close proximity to where she slept as well as her formal sitting area including a glass table and a delicate, floral-themed china set on top of it. A traditionally wooden grandfather clock stood high and mighty towards the left of the bed and its height brought my attention to the miniature diamond chandelier hanging from the ceiling. To the west was Hinata's private bath consisting of a whirlpool Jacuzzi and a shower which could accommodate four people. Past the bathroom was the walk-in closet. The space had separate sections for her casual clothes, royal wardrobe, pajamas, swimming suits, sweats, sandals, sneakers, and formal footwear. At the very end of the closet was a beauty station where Hinata's royal dressers would work their magic and make her one of Konoha's most admirable style icons.

The most important accessory of the room was missing…the princess herself.

"_Where could she be?"_

The sight of the creamy silk curtains blowing in the wind from the open doors caught my attention. Beyond Hinata's sitting area was her very own balcony. As I listened closely, her sweet humming could be heard in the distance.

I brushed past the drapery and surprised the girl with an innocuous, "Boo!"

She gasped sharply and, as soon as our eyes met, the girl before me sighed of relief.

"Sakura-chan!"

We wasted no time in locking ourselves into a sisterly embrace, one filled with unconditional love and security.

"Hina-chan, it's so good to see you! How are you feeling?" I asked concernedly.

Sure she fainted earlier, but nobody else knows of her deepest secret. Hinata suffers from a severe blood-borne disease. She has been ever since she was born. Her immune system as an infant was highly prone to infection. Medical specialists suggested that she remain indoors and wear protective clothing to keep her safe. As much as they'd hoped this would help, it didn't. Hinata's condition spread and ravaged her entire body. Tsunade-san herself struggles to rid of this vile malady. I, along with Hyuga Hiashi-san and lady hokage, were the only ones entrusted to this secret. In a way I felt honored that she valued my friendship wholeheartedly and believed I was her most trusted friend. Hinata's diseased blood affects her daily life. She is forced to remain at home, this being the main reason why she could not attend a regular school like other children. Seemingly harmless things such as allergies, the common cold, and fainting take a toll on her health. Hinata's body becomes weak and requires rest for a full day. The palace chef, at the recommendation of Tsunade-san, makes special effort to cook certain foods for her. She must avoid consuming anything high in salt, cholesterol, fats, and anything else I may have forgotten on the long list.

Hinata has had to give up some of her favorite foods including zenzai (red bean soup), ramen, and cinnamon rolls because of their malnutritional value. Certain ingredients within these foods may contain high cholesterol, sodium, etc. which is why, before eating something, Hinata must check specifically _which_ ingredients are used to prepare each meal.

I look at her now, comparing her to before, and see that she's lost a significant amount of weight. She's become sickly pale. In a way, I'm happy to see her getting a breath of fresh air.

The Hyuga heiress frowned and shook her head, "I haven't been well, Sakura-chan. Recently, I haven't been able to eat a thing. Tsunade-san advises me to take special protein supplements for me to build up my strength. When I do, I vomit everything back out. She prescribed more antibiotics for me when I was discharged from the hospital. Sometimes I spit everything back up, or nothing works at all. I appreciate all of Tsunade-san's effort, but nothing's helped since I began seeing her."

"G-Gomen, Hina…"

In a situation like this, what was I supposed to say? Nothing could possibly make her feel better. Although it was Hinata's burden, I too felt her pain. At that moment, I couldn't help but wonder if each and every one of us was born into this world, why would Kami-sama cause immense suffering? All I could do was be a good friend and listen, and that's exactly what I was going to do.

Her sniffling and wiping of the eyes caught my attention.

"S-Sakura…I feel so weak and hopeless. Years ago, I witnessed Neji training everyday with my father and eventually Gai-sensei. He developed skills and techniques as he grew alongside other ninja. I wanted that for myself too. Kurenai-sensei did as much as she could to train me. She wanted to help me master the Byakugan, but I failed every time. Father relieved sensei of her duties, telling her I was not capable of becoming a powerful ninja and there was no point in continuing to train me. He did not tell her of my condition, and I've noticed that as time goes by, my senses grow weaker. My chakra is depleting, that's why I couldn't sense your presence when you were here. This entire experience has made me completely vulnerable, which is why the servants won't let me outside."

As she spoke, tears threatened to slide down my cheeks. I couldn't let them. I had to remain strong for Hinata, even though it was killing me inside.

She stared down into the gardens below the balcony.

"I can't even do my favorite thing in the whole wide world, flower pressing. Father forced me to stop, and now, my attendant Matsuri does it for me. It's very kind of her, but, I used to do it because it gave me joy and amusement. I wanted something I could call my own, so I could be proud of my artistic abilities. There is so much misery in my life, and I wish someone could understand…"

"_I understand everything, Hinata…"_

Quickly she rubbed her eyes, ridding of the tears, and breathed deeply. The princess gestured that we move back inside her room making our way towards her sitting room before engaging me in conversation again.

"Enough about me how is everything with you, Sakura-chan?"

"Everything's been okay…I guess. Nothing interesting has come up in particular. I waited a couple days to let you rest up and decided to see you, which is the highlight of my week so far."

A lively smile graced Hinata's now colored face. The company I provided seemed to give her an airy, jubilant glow which removed any evidence of stress or worry.

Her face grew redder as she asked the next question.

"H-How's N-Naruto-kun?"

As my mouth opened, so did the door; more violently than I expected. A startled Hinata faced the direction of her enraged father marching in holding a copy of a recent issue of the Konoha news depicting Naruto and Hinata's "undying love", sealed with a kiss.

"What the hell is this!" he roared, enough to shake the whole palace.

Hyuga Hiashi threw the article straight onto Hinata's lap, who clenched the written piece firmly and slowly raised her head to meet her father's wrath.

I watched as his form relaxed slightly once he laid eyes on me.

"**He's trying his best to control his temper…"**

Indeed, Kobato-chan's observation was true. The man inhaled and exhaled, and afterwards, rubbed his temples to clear his mind. I thought about saying hello, but was too afraid, deeming it an inappropriate time for greetings.

"Sakura. I would appreciate it if you would allow the two of us to discuss this matter in private," he asserted in a strict manner.

Without a word, I rose, bowed before the clan leader, shot Hinata a worrisome look and left the room silently.

As soon as I closed the door behind me, I heard yells and screams from inside. I didn't bother to wait outside, afraid Hiashi might catch me eavesdropping, and instead walked back downstairs. Although Hinata was the one who did all the talking, I felt parched and made my way into the kitchen to fulfill my quench for thirst.

The servants, who spent their time cleaning and cooking and chatting stopped and stared at me again. The palace felt empty with the deadness of speech and sound. Pretending to ignore them, I searched through cabinets seeking a jug of water and a glass. It made me wonder how the servants grew acclimated to this environment and adjusted to the navigation of everything around here. One of the servants, an elderly lady, was aware of my thickening frustration in not being able to find these two simple items. The rest of the workers watched her approach me.

"Haruno Sakura-san," she bowed courteously.

I turned my attention to the woman instead of inspecting one of the countless shelves.

"Would you like a glass of water?" she offered kindly.

I too bowed in her presence, "Hai…arigato…"

She fetched the water, allowing me to savor the fresh cool taste of the liquid. As I did this, I noticed one important member missing.

The woman placed my glass on the counter and smiled.

"Ano…would you happen to know where Matsuri is?"

The servants in the background continued to stare, agitating me slightly.

"**Just pretend they're not there! Focus on the woman in front of you, Sakura-chan!"**

"Matsuri is currently pressing Hinata-hime's flowers. She does this every evening since during the day she has other obligations to attend to."

"Oh…would you mind leading me to the garden? I'd like to see it before I leave."

She nodded and motioned for me to follow her.

"So is Matsuri the newest worker here at the Hyuga palace?"

"She is. As the head attendant here, I made it a priority to make her feel welcome into this new environment. We can all see she's had a hard life for someone so young. Matsuri's mind is always clouded full of thoughts. She keeps to herself and just does as she's told. She sits alone when we servants have dinner together and chooses to do her chores on the isolated side of the palace when the rest of us populate another area. I sat her down one day and asked if something was wrong. She said nothing and walked away."

"Did you ever think about addressing this issue with Hyuga Hiashi-san?"

The woman scoffed, thinking of the statement as a joke.

"Hiashi-sama has does not interact with us. He does not give up a second glance when we pass. Prince Neji says some things, but, many of the servants are afraid of the two males of this household. It's just the type of vibe they give off, not to be disappointed in any way or face consequences. However, Hinata-hime and Tenten-hime have been wonderful. They treat us as equals. I cannot thank them enough for their kindness. It warms my heart to see them every morning for breakfast."

She paused briefly.

"Gomen…I went off track. The answer is, no. I will not address this problem with Lord Hiashi because this is simply a problem within the group of servants. The royal family does not take any responsibility for our personal lives."

"_How sad…"_

"Sakura-san…we have reached the gardens. Please enjoy the view while you can since it's become dusk and nightfall will soon arrive."

I thanked the elderly woman and immediately spotted Matsuri sitting on the grass, picking out assortments of flowers. Since she was alone at the moment, her voice reached its full potential. The girl spoke softly to a vibrantly colored hummingbird sucking the nectar out of one of the many phoenix flowers stemming erectly from the ground. The winged creature savored the sweetness of the fiery phoenix plant, keeping its beak there as if it was holding on for dear life.

"My…you're a tireless critter, aren't you?" Matsuri cooed.

It fluttered away onto the next plant as I advanced towards the girl, kneeling beside her.

"Need any help?"

She glanced at me and turned back to her work.

"I'm fine thank you…" the youth whispered.

I pouted, "Do I have to tell you this again, Matsuri? I can barely hear you! The hummingbird seemed to enjoy what you were saying."

Matsuri eyed the creature flying away from the garden, bringing her at peace.

The group of sunflowers caught my eye as I collected them, mesmerized by their bright yellow petals.

"No." Matsuri said, directing her attention to the flowers in my hand.

She brought forth a white rose in front of me.

"Hinata-hime loves white roses. Gather more of them."

For the next half hour we did this and our activity came to a halt once the sun set completely.

"It's dark…I must be going, Sakura-san."

"Go ahead," I affirmed with a friendly smile.

She turned to me as the moon appeared in the heavens, with the light streaming down her face.

"It was nice seeing you…Sakura-san…come again…"

And with that, she left me wondering whether I should go back inside and bid farewell to Hinata. Before I could think of anything else, a piercing wail could be heard within the gardens. When arriving at the scene, Hinata sat in a fetal position, rocking back and forth.

"Hinata!" I called.

Her sobs persisted as I came in close contact with my friend and held her close. We stayed like this for a while until she calmed down a bit. Seeing Hinata in this way was morbid to me. I became traumatized by hearing her screaming and weeping. She cried out into the night sky, almost pleading for something.

"What happened?"

She pulled away, as I noticed the sickly pale shade making its way back onto her once pinker countenance.

"Never have I seen father this upset…_ever_." She started.

I waited as the princess momentarily brought herself together, ready to speak again.

"He screamed so loud…I swear I could've lost my hearing. Father called me a disgrace to the Hyuga clan. He said I've embarrassed him and refuses to talk to me now."

"You're not a disgrace…" I assured her.

"I wish I could believe that, Sakura. My life is a _joke_. Father convinced me of this completely. He says that Naruto will pay the price severely and forbids me from seeing him ever again! The worst part is that I'm being forced to marry some man I don't even know! He's not even from Konohagakure. Father wants me to go on with this marriage for his own selfish gain."

I continued to listen as the melancholic melody playing through Hinata's words pained my heart.

"Please tell me that everything is alright with Naruto…where is he? I miss him dearly. I want to tell him how I truly feel, now that he's announced our engagement to the whole world. I never thought he could ever see me this way, Sakura-chan…"

This time, she smiled while crying tears of joy.

"Naruto-kun _loves_ me…he _loves_ me…I can't believe it…kudasai, Sakura-chan…you must tell me where he is!"

Instinctually, my head faced the ground letting my bangs cover my jade orbs. I didn't know what to say to her. I didn't have the heart to tell Hinata what really happened.

"Sakura-chan?" she breathed.

My lips pursed as I balled up my fists.

She reacted wildly, grabbing my shoulders and shaking me to cough up the answer.

"W-Where is he?" she cried.

"He's _gone_…" I said, facing the other direction.

Silence filled the air.

"H-He's g-gone? What do you mean he's _gone_!"

I stood up, "He disappeared! I don't know anything about his absence, Hinata. No one has seen him since the wedding…"

Was I supposed to blame myself for telling her the truth? I couldn't help but slap my forehead in frustration.

A cascading waterfall of tears erupted from the Hyuga heiress's opal eyes.

"Neji's interpretation of my fate was true…am I destined to be alone?"

Hinata stood and stared directly above at the moon hovering over us.

"Kaa-san…I will suffer the same fate as you…"

I shook my head fervently, stepping closer to the girl.

"S-Stop! Don't talk like this. Just get inside right now. You know you shouldn't be out here because of your-"

"To hell with it!" she spat back.

I was stunned. This was a side of Hyuga Hinata I had never seen before.

"To hell with _all_ of it! I've been coming outside every night, sneaking out from my balcony. It's the only time when I can be free, when there's no one to watch me but my mother in the heavens. It is a fact, I will die. I've come to terms with it. I have accepted it. I _want_ it. Why can't Kami-sama just take me now? I've been cursed with this horrible illness. There is no life to live. Every night, I'd sit out here underneath the stars and pray for some miracle. That maybe some day Tsunade-san would be able to find a way to rid of this foul disease, or that maybe Naruto would someday fall in love with me as I have loved him for so long. Now I realize that I must have been the cause of his disappearance. Maybe he did it as some cruel joke to poke fun at me because he became aware of my feelings. It's completely naïve of me to believe either of those two things will happen. I'd kill myself now, but I don't have the courage to do it. I will continue to sit in my room and wait until my final hour. If you do see Naruto, no matter how much he hates me, please tell him that I love him…"

I refused to believe any of this as more tears flowed down my flushed cheeks.

"No…it's not true. Please just calm down Hinata…everything's going to be fi-"

"You don't understand anything I'm going through! Just go home, Sakura! I'm sure your grandmother's at home waiting so the two of you can continue on with your perfect lives!" Hinata retorted sarcastically.

That last comment tap-danced on my last nerve as I proceeded to deliver one last fight while shaking my fist at the princess.

"You-"

She didn't let me finish.

"LEAVE! Leave or I will call the guards!" the Hyuga seethed.

Without anymore exchange of words, I left as quickly as I could without looking back. I didn't care if I was alone in the darkness. I needed some peace and quiet and time to think. The entire thing was mind boggling. I didn't know what to say. Perhaps she did have it much worse than I did.

My pace quickened as I grit my teeth in sheer anger and made it back to the empty house. My fury at this point blew up, causing me to run to the nearest bedroom upstairs.

"_She had no right to act like that! How dare she!"_

I slammed the bedroom door shut and jumped onto the bed, pounding it with all my might.

"Stupid Stupid Stupid!"

The sight of Hinata's face made me want to cringe in disgust.

After a while, I lay with my stomach on the bed and observed my surrounding environment finally cooled off. Strangely enough, something about my room seemed different. The bed sheets weren't mine. This time I stood up. None of my baby pictures were placed onto my dresser, and the window had a completely different view of the village.

"_Wait a min-"_

Immediately, the door flung open, interrupting my convoluted thoughts.

As I turned my head to the source of the sound, my eyes grew wide as I gazed fearfully into a pair of heartless grey ones.

**Author's Note: **Wow that took forever to write! Did you like it? Hate it? Let me know what you thought! As I promised to you all, this was a long chapter. I'd also like to add that I'm not updating until I get 20 more reviews. Shouldn't be hard since I check my traffic and see over 150 people reading this story! ALSO I'm letting you all know that I don't think I'll be able to update as often because my second semester of college has just started so I will be very busy with my studies. I check my messages often, so message me if you'd like. If there's enough free time, I might be able to get writing. We'll just have to see. It honestly depends on my work load, which will probably take a lot. Well It's almost 3 in the morning and I didn't wait to make you guys wait any longer so I figured I'd just get it done. So remember 20 REVIEWS for this chappie and I'll start the next one. I'm read to hit the hay now.

Tootles!

~Sweetness


	14. Spreading of her Wings

**Author's Note: **Well I didn't get 20 reviews as I had hoped, and that's a shame. It's actually not fair to those few who have already reviewed, so I'll keep going on with this story. I do hope, however, that you all will change your minds and review please. I would love it if you did! It would really make my heart soar! Let's continue now!

**Chapter 14: Spreading of her Wings**

Drip drop…drip drop…

The hollow sounds of the rain echoed through the house as lightening struck the night sky. The tempest's startling din could not compare to the fear rousing inside me while in the presence of this wicked being. The palpating heartbeats thumping within my ribcage increased in speed. The deluge of sultry sweat percolated from my palms. As the flashes of the storm highlighted the woman's ashen orbs, all the warmth absconded, and my blood grew cold.

My hands covered my heart cavity as I breathed deeply and slowly, calming my shot nerves. Moments ago rage consumed me from the not so friendly exchange Hinata and I had previously. Whatever happened, I was afraid our friendship would be at risk. The Hyuga heiress was never one to act so brash and abrupt, especially towards a longtime friend of hers. To make matters worse, I had not expected grandmother Chiyo's arrival. My time as a normal young woman was up, and now, the disparaging life I've led since childhood returned.

The only sounds ringing in my head were the ticking of the clock hanging from the ceiling and my disquieted thoughts. My lips quivered, proving it a struggle to speak. Every ounce of confidence and faith I had left vanished. Staring deep within those steely eyes of hers and the unfathomable crevices carved into her ancient skin as she frowned was like a recurring nightmare that came alive.

"O-Oba-san…how was Amegakure?" I tried my best to utter, although the underlying trepidation was apparent.

Grandmother Chiyo's scowl deepened as she knit her eyebrows and flared her nostrils while boldly stepping towards me. Instinctively, my feet wanted to step back, but the logic on the other side of my brain reasoned for me not to do so, for it would not be a wise decision on my part. Her aura was much darker and dingier than before. Through her sinister eyes, I could not see into her soul. Oba-san's emotions were unreadable and my anticipation of her coming back a changed person died along with my hopes and dreams.

I watched grandmother raise her arm and hold my silky smooth tresses to her face as she sniffed them disdainfully, once she did, her grip tightened and pulled violently. The force was so unbearably painful that a cry escaped my trembling lips.

"You don't wear perfume…" she stated, rolling her bleakly-colored eyes towards me, waiting for an answer.

That fact was correct. I do not wear perfume, not even a small dab of it. Suddenly, I realized the scent came from Tenten. She never drenched herself of the notoriously overwhelming incense. On the contrary, the newly wedded princess smelled of a light and airy aroma. It was pleasant and delightful. However, the fragrance was detectable once we embraced each other. Grandmother was only but a few feet away from me when she sensed it.

Before I could answer her possibly rhetorical statement, oba-san released my pastel strands and grabbed my shoulders harshly. She turned my body around hastily so my back was now in her line of vision.

"And what is _this_!" She demanded to know, rotating me back again to face her while holding up a white rose petal.

No response came from me, and instead, I remained quiet while staring down onto the wooden floor shamefully.

"You were out this whole time, weren't you?" she whispered while shutting her eyes for a brief moment, and reopening them again to contain her rapidly approaching anger.

I responded in the same manner as Hinata towards her father when he fiercely threw her door open and stomped his way in as she met his eyes shortly and gazed beneath her.

"Weren't you!" she threatened, this time with her uncontrollable emotions rising at full force.

My tears answered for me, to which she muttered a string of curses and slapped me across the face causing me to flinch in pain.

"You conniving little _bitch_!" she barked.

The old woman proceeded to push me into the full, body-length mirror next to the wooden dresser, breaking the glass. I continued to sit below the broken structure, pensively pondering over what wrong I had done to deserve this life. Each and every glass piece flew across the room, far from my grasp with my jade orbs chasing after them. My body lay frozen, watching the crystal pieces dive towards their destination, in the far corners of this bitter microcosm. Once the last of the glass shards crashed onto the floor, my unaware and ignorant state remained the same. Nothing changed, for I was still that unrealized youth waiting for something hopeful to happen.

"**Sakura-chan! Please, get a hold of yourself! You cannot let this woman win. She is cruel and deranged. This mistreatment is proof that something must be done, that she was never your beloved oba-san to begin with."**

Chiyo baa-san trudged toward my weary self, as she paid no heed to the glass crunching under the soles of her sandals. Her shadow loomed over my feeble form, snickering sadistically at the left over fragments that had sunken into my skin. The bright red shade of the gushing blood stained my clothes as I helplessly inhaled every ounce of oxygen there was to sustain me.

"**Sakura-chan!" **Kobato cried.

The broken glass reflected grandmother Chiyo's vulgar soul. She was now tainted and destroyed. Her means of living thrived from my suffering. If dying by her hand was my fate, then so be it. There was never anything to live for anyway. The pain I now felt from the stinging of the sharp fragments plunging inside me was equivalent to the hardships I've endured for so long. Those few days without her taught me to appreciate the other villagers, and I learned that I was cared for. My friends have always been important to me, if only I wasn't caged in this prison, for my relationships with them would have grown stronger. Nineteen is a young age, too young to have seen the wicked nature of human beings.

Oba-san grabbed the collar of my shirt while I gazed into her clouded eyes, noticing them flicker from grey to a menacing purple. The black sub circles within rotated like a spinning wheel, hypnotizing me. Before I knew it, they stopped their actions and the enchantment was gone.

She pulled away from me and headed for the door.

"Sit here, and _rot!_" the woman said while slamming it shut.

"**Sakura-chan? Are you alright?" **

"I-I'm fine, Kobato…just a bit dizzy, that's all…" I assured the dove while holding the dresser next to me for support to stand.

"**G-Gomen Sakura-chan…I didn't mean for any of this to happen. If only…if only-"**

"If only what? None of this was your fault. If anyone's, it's all mine. I should've been strong enough to grow a backbone and leave a long time ago." I replied while limping out the doorway, towards the bathroom while a trail of blood droplets lagged behind me.

After entering the bathroom across the hall, I shut the door and cleaned my fresh open wounds with tissues soaked in cold water. The icy cool wetness of the paper against my swollen skin sent shivers down my spine. The gentle touch of the material stung badly, since the glass shards were still fastened inside my body.

"Ouch…!" I writhed in pain while carefully drying myself with a towel and hobbling into my bedroom, the safest place here.

I sat atop my bed haunted by oba-san's dark eyes, still able to feel my cheek burning from her slap. Time seemed to pass slowly as my dreary condition worsened, contemplating depressing thoughts. I could not bring myself to fall asleep because of the agonizing pain from the mirror fragments and from the rattling aftermath of grandmother's abuse.

"**Sakura-chan…please speak…say something."**

My mind was absorbed into the sight just ahead of me, past my undrawn curtains. Daybreak had finally arrived. The array of rainbow shades shone brightly from the golden ball of hope rising in the eastern direction, and with this enlightening scene before my weary eyes, tarnished my saddened outlook and cast upon me a new sense of wonder and promise. Deliberations of sleeping off my pain and misfortune left my mind as the gleaming sunlight brought my attention to a sparkle of purity deep within me. A strong light that remained untouched, a heavenly essence that even grandmother could not put out. How foolish could I have been not to realize this before? The time I'd spent with my friends these last few days have provided me peace within. I must live for them, for my guardian Kobato-chan who refuses to give up on me. I was born into this world for a purpose, and I will not allow myself to give into oba-san's evil whims. She must be healed fast, before something worse becomes of her.

Time is now of the essence.

Immediately I regretted jumping from my bed after enduring the sharp pang of the crystal pieces jabbed into my legs and arms. The pain was not subsiding, worrying me a little bit. I felt like an old woman, grasping my bedside for support and continuing slowly out of my room and down the steps. With each passing moment, I huffed and puffed, catching a glimpse of new blood drops forming and leaking in place of the remains that were now dried up scabs.

The bright sun shined upon none other than oba-san herself, sitting on her chair watching daylight make its way onto the world. From her side profile, I did not see a smile on her face. She just sat there, as if nothing special was happening. Grandmother was never an optimistic individual, at least, as long as I've known her. She never spoke of love, hopes, or dreams. Those concepts were "naïve" and supposedly believed by the weak-minded. I agree in her view that seeing the reality is important. However, without any of those ideals mentioned above, there's no drive to make a difference or do anything for that matter. You want something to live for, don't you? These goals, these personal ambitions are what keep us happy and engaged with the world as well as ourselves to achieve more. As days pass, Chiyo baa-san grows wearier and more jaded than before. Perhaps it has exacerbated due to her old age.

Would collecting all ten shards help her?

With all the blood, sweat, and tears I've dealt with, a part of me wants to believe that my grandmother is just an innocent soul wanting to be helped. This must be the path Kami-sama has set for me to follow. Maybe once I heal her, I can heal the whole entire world. How beautiful would it be to see everyone smiling, without having to suffer?

What about me? Haven't I gone through enough? What could possibly be done to make a difference in my own life?

I want a life that is mine. One I can control and change the world for the better. No matter how far I'm pushed back, I will make it. I was born into this world. I take up a certain amount of space. Certainly, I must mean _something_. Each and every person is unique in his or her own way. We all have tasks and missions we were meant to fulfill. Now, it's time to find out what Kami-sama has in store for me.

Without a second thought, I stepped into the light, in oba-san's full view. She turned majestically, with a stature indicating power and regality. Her eyes demonstrated her lack of mercifulness. Although sitting within the presence of the morning sun, grandmother Chiyo was as dark as ever to me. She was nothing but a shadow, following my path in life. She watched each and every step I took, analyzing my mind, ridiculing my actions, and breaking my fragile heart. With her unpredictable capabilities, oba-san could have destroyed me with one step out of line. Yet, she didn't. She spared me on a whim. To be the only member of your clan left is miserable. Who knows how long grandmother will be around, she could die anytime soon. I was alone from the start.

Part of me wanted to step closer and make amends in our relationship, yet, another part of me was fearful of what would happen if I inched any further.

"Come closer, my child…" she ordered.

My jade orbs opened wide, letting the statement sink in. Grandmother's gaze hardened, but, there was no evidence of anger anywhere on her worn face.

Tentatively, my feet shuffled along the wooden floor, careful of the damage the leftover shards could do to my skin and possibly puncturing any nerves. The blaring sunlight temporarily blinded me, allowing my eyes to eventually refocus onto my grandmother. Her blackened abysmal eyes did not light up at the sight of me. It was as if she were eyeing a complete stranger, building an invisible wall around her. There was no warm familial chemistry one would normally feel towards his or her own kin. This feeling fell cold, like the frozen tundra. Goose bumps formed on the surface of my skin, and the tiny hairs on the back of my neck stiffened. I was on my guard as well, afraid of any harm she might do.

"A-Are you hungry, oba-san? Would you care for me to prepare breakfast for you?" I offered.

"The fridge is completely empty. You have been out, not caring for your responsibilities to the household," she answered sharply.

Her nose wrinkled as if smelling a foul scent, glaring at me.

"You're a disgrace." She stated while standing from the chair and walking to the front door.

My head fell shamefully, hearing the insult. What could be done to change oba-san's mind about me? How could I win her approval?

She paused and continued to stand with her back facing me, staring ahead.

"You will accompany me to this morning's council meeting. Hurry and dress appropriately," oba-san requested more harshly than I would've wanted.

I limped as fast as I could up the steps and into my room. It bothered me how awful oba-san could be so hurtful, more so physically in this case and then expected me to be all fine and dandy to dress up and accompany her to a council meeting. It's been a long time since I've been to one of those gatherings. Sitting in and watching the elders argue over nothing was not my idea of fun. I wasn't in the mood to dress up anyway, but if I didn't, I'd embarrass myself as well as oba-san.

After opening the double doors of my closet, I rummaged through my wardrobe hoping to find something decent. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed a simple black kimono with white petals and a matching ivory obi around the waist hanging towards the far right.

"**It's exquisite…" **Kobato mused.

She was right. I could have chosen fabrics in pastels or brighter shades, but, my current physical and mental state reasoned that there was no need to be excited walking out and about with my grandmother. Quickly I changed, careful not to strain myself from the seething pain inside me and braided my long hair while clipping back any strands that may fall loosely in front of my face.

"Sakura, hurry up, damn you!" grandmother bellowed.

_Kami I never get a break with her around! _I inwardly complained while rolling my eyes and strapping on my simple pair of zori sandals, walking out the door and down the steps to meet the impatient woman.

She merely eyed me up and down and went out the door, indicating her approval of my choice in clothing.

_At least she approved of something…_

"**That's a start!" **Kobato encouraged as I continued on my way outside, following the matriarch from behind.

It certainly was a quiet journey. She made no effort to make conversation with the likes of me. I had a hunch oba-san forced me to attend the meeting with her since I couldn't be trusted after disobeying her rules while she was gone. Mornings in Konoha were on the cooler side, borderline chilly. I didn't mind so much, since during the afternoons, temperatures rise dramatically especially when it hits noon. I watched as villagers nodded to oba-san while we passed by, to which she did the same. It made me wonder what her facial expression was like. Did she smile? Was it genuine? Was she capable of showing any concern for others?

While reaching closer to the hokage tower, a tree branch appeared close by. An ethereal melody sounded as the gust of the wind carried it towards me. This was not the tragic plea of the nightingale or the soft, docile coo of a dove. My feet stopped moving for a brief moment and peered within the spaces of the mounds of leaves clustered together. The white-tailed creature's feathers were golden, highlighted in a reddish-orange outlining. I couldn't exactly figure out what species it belonged to, for it was larger than a sparrow but smaller than a starling. It wore a crescent-shaped necklace of rich, jet black over its bright yellow vest front that rose slightly when the small bird was excited or alarmed.

I pushed the leaves away and lent my hand out to the bird. Surprisingly, it did not flee but wobbled towards my outstretched fingers. The golden wonder stood on the branch closest to me and sang gracefully. This harmony was not at all heart wrenching or wistful as the familiar song of the nightingale. I felt livelier than ever, hearing its tune. The cheerful music exuded hope and confidence. It was as almost if the sun had taken shape into this otherworldly creature, blessing us with its heavenly hymns. As soon as grandmother realized I came to a halt for intense observation, she stood by my side while the bird eluded her, snapping me out of my reverie.

"Stop your mindless gawking and come with me."

I tried my best to hide my grimace and keep my words to myself while sighing exasperatedly and following her, not forgetting the bird that inspired me.

"**That was a skylark that just sang to you."**

_A skylark?_

"**Hai. These creatures rise at dawn and announce the coming of the day. They're melody is unique and easily recognizable. Unlike other birds, skylarks have the ability to fly vertically and sing in the air. It never stops, spreading joy and good fortune to the world. Another fact, which I find interesting, is that they are capable of mimicking other bird's songs. These free-spirits are the harmless little trouble-makers out of us birds."**

_Trouble maker…_thinking of the title released an infinite number of carefree memories residing deep within my heart. I wanted to solve the mystery of the one who instilled optimism, courage, and determination within the all too commonplace souls of the villagers.

"**Legend says that if a skylark sings to you, it is relaying a message from Kami-sama. It is the creature that ties the human world to the heavens."**

_What kind of message could it be?_

Kobato perched onto the same spot where the skylark fled, with her beak curving upward.

"**It could be a message of importance. Something lying profoundly in your mind that you put to rest because there was no use pondering over it. Kami-sama must have decided it was time for you to know the truth and has sent his skylark to provide you with answers." **

Myths and legends were phenomena that I didn't understand, but fascinated me. The origins of how things came to be and how things worked appear in countless traditional beliefs and values. I wanted to believe in Kobato's urban tale, that a harmless creature like a skylark possessed vast amounts of power within. From the dove's statement, it appears that these birds hardly come down to the surface and sing to human beings. I might as well keep an open mind about this and take pride in the message the skylark conveyed through its angelic voice.

My daydreams ended as soon as grandmother Chiyo and I entered the hokage tower, into the room where the meeting would be held. It was intimidating walking inside, taking note of the aloof stares of the elders sitting around a rectangular table. It was as if they were reading my thoughts, trying to observe and analyze my intentions. These people weren't the innocent old citizens you could help across the street. They looked as vicious as oba-san herself. Perhaps she was the most frightening of them all. Along with this group were a few other elite jonin ninja. The only familiar faces I spotted were Hatake Kakashi, Umino Iruka, Mitarashi Anko, Might Gai, and the hokage's assistant Shizune-san. Kakashi-san held a mysterious aura, I could feel it. He sat patiently reading that infamously disturbing orange novel while ignoring the outbursts of his colleague Might Gai who droned on about the power of youth while Mitarashi Anko demanded that he shut up. Iruka-sensei had a pile of papers in front of him, marking each of them with red pen and diligently writing comments. Shizune-san's face was a mixture of smiles and surprised expressions when I set foot into the room, not expecting me to be here. She waved briefly and turned her attention to Hatake Kakashi-san. Strangely enough, the woman failed to keep eye contact with him. Instead she made an effort to intervene in the boisterous brawl between Anko and Gai-sensei while secretly stealing glances at the man oblivious to the world, enraptured completely into the literature in front of him.

Two of the seats closest to the door were empty. Oba-san and I sat down and kept our eyes on the chair at the head of the table, waiting for the last member to arrive. When I turned away from that direction, a pair of lethargic brown eyes caught my attention, instantly making me feel comfortable in the room. He nodded his signature nod while I smiled warmly.

"Sakura," he greeted with a casual grin.

Thankfully the atmosphere was no longer as awkward as before since the elders were engaged in conversation, although off and on, they would steal glances at me.

"Shikamaru, it's so nice to see you. Why are you here, if you don't mind me asking?"

"I could ask you the same thing."

Momentarily I shifted my gaze to oba-san, resting her eyes next to me. Possibly she was trying to find peace of mind. It made me wonder how she could do such a thing in the midst of all this commotion.

"Good morning, everyone. Let the meeting commence!" A proud voice declared.

All eyes turned to the woman striding fluidly towards the chair at the end of the table, making herself comfortable, and clasping her hands tightly while observing each and every face in the room. She paused briefly, realizing my presence but said nothing of the matter and proceeded with the meeting.

"I hope you've all been well. Now I'd like to discuss-"

"Tsunade-san. Please excuse my interruption, but, what is _she_ doing here?" an elder questioned while accusingly pointing his finger. The man's gaze pierced into me, critically analyzing my every move with the adjusting of his old-fashioned glasses.

The comfortable feeling gradually settling inside me instantly vanished while receiving the group's attention. Kakashi-san was the only one who turned to me lazily for a brief moment and returned to his leisurely activity. The gawking reminded me of the uncomfortable scenario I encountered with the servants of the Hyuga palace.

The hokage's expression remained as cool and passive as ever. She stared at me with her flaring ember eyes, recalling our shared memory of my loss of her respect. Before, she had faith that I would surely surpass my mother. We both knew it, I let her down. There's no way I could apologize for my cowardice. Time is not in my control, and I must deal with the consequences, disgracing myself.

The disconcerted stares continued, as I stole a glance at Tsunade-san hoping she would break the daunting silence. She seemed to be overly inspective of my intentions, more so than anyone else in this room. Oba-san merely deepened her frown, glaring at the elder who posed the question.

"Homura, stay out of this," she dared.

This so-called Homura, removed his glasses and nipped the ends of his clear-seeing contraption while leaning forward to see through grandmother, thankfully directing his concentration away from me.

"Don't forget who allowed you to become a citizen of this country and escape from your past. Watch your tongue, _woman_," he mocked.

Chiyo baa-san glimpsed at me and bore her menacing ghostly orbs into Homura-san's black ones. In response, he snickered.

"You women have no power. Chiyo is the paragon of weakness, hiding in fear under my awesome abilities."

"Homura," a deadly voice snapped.

The said man, along with everyone else, gazed into the fiery pits of hell epitomizing into the form Tsunade-sama. I was even more fearful of her than my own grandmother. The hokage's real self emerged, ready to pounce onto her subordinate for his sexist statement. How was this man stupid enough not to realize that he served a world-renown feminist? Especially one who held immense power enough to ostracize the man from society if she pleased. Tsunade-san's eye brows furrowed, wrinkling her forehead, while struggling to keep her uproarious anger in check. The woman's fists shook violently as the flames from her soul flashed intensely onto the now apologetic man trembling in consternation.

"G-Gomen, Hokage-sama. I-"

"Save your pathetic excuses. Shut your mouth," she ordered bluntly.

The hokage flickered her eyes to me and oba-san.

"Chiyo, Sakura can stay," the lady of the hour approved.

Neither person said anymore and waited for Tsunade-san to continue her spiel.

"Where is Hyuga Hiashi?" she inquired.

All eyes scoped the area, hoping to find the missing man. Many either nodded their heads or shrugged their shoulders.

"How typical. I give the man one chance to improve his relations with me, and now, he screws up his bloody chance." The blonde muttered.

The look on Shizune's face was unnerving. I couldn't tell if it was from sitting straight across from Kakashi-san, right where he could see her and make judgments, or from the hokage's foul mood.

"Tsunade-sama…would a cup of tea make everything better?" her loyal assistant offered.

"A cup of sake would be lovelier, Shizune."

The dark-haired woman shook her head disapprovingly, "Maybe this is why Hiashi-san didn't show up. You plan on leading a meeting, drunk? You yourself are a medical ninja, who trained me. Sake has severe health effects, Tsunade-sama!"

Impatiently wanting to start the meeting and rid of Shizune's tedious lecture, the hokage waved her off.

"Go ahead…get me the tea."

"Hai," Shizune obliged pleasantly, happy with her mistresses' decision.

"Now, this meeting mainly concerns Hyuga Hiashi. Since the bastard refuses to show up, I guess we can discuss this matter amongst ourselves. Konohagakure has strictly enforced anti labor laws. This is a law that has been written onto our village's code of ethics ever since the passing of the second hokage. We are no longer in that time period and have instilled moral responsibility within our citizens. Hyuga Hiashi has violated this vital premise written into our constitution."

"What has he done exactly to violate this law, Tsunade-san?" a female elder spoke, dressed in a pearly white robe with her scraggly gray hairs brushed out, adorned with a cat-eared accessory placed on the top of her head.

_She looks…different_, I couldn't help but stare confounded at the oddly dressed woman. I mean how could she be taken seriously? Just look at her!

"**That's Nekobaa. She's an old shopkeeper who resides in a small house within the dark alleys of Konoha. Although peculiar, there's no doubt how wise she is. Nekobaa helped Tsunade-san to choose the original members of the council."**

A "meow" sounded in the room, directing all eyes onto her.

"Nekobaa…take your cat outside the room. You _know_ I'm allergic!" the hokage shrieked.

The elderly woman sighed and released the animal out into the corridor outside of the room while returning to her seat disappointed that she got caught in the act.

Shizune returned with the tea and took her seat to which the hokage uttered an incoherent, "Arigato" while sipping the hot, steaming liquid.

Tsunade-san placed the cup in front of her, "To answer your question, Nekobaa, the Hyuga has illegally transported slaves from other villages to Konoha, to work for his royal selfishness. I cannot condone what he's done. This is dishonorable behavior. To think, this is what the Hyuga family has preached all these years, what hypocrites!"

_Illegally transported slaves? _My mind flew back to young Matsuri. Those weary eyes, her bruised arms and legs, her petite form. She was such a harmless creature, how could Hiashi be so cruel? What had she done to deserve this life?

"If you had known this whole time, then why have you waited until now to act? I understand how unyouthful it was for Hyuga Hiashi to force labor onto these people, but it was equally unyouthful of you, Tsunade-sama, to allow for this to happen."

The easily recognizable vocabulary, without me even having to look to guess who it was, belonged to Might Gai. He put on a serious façade. Usually he was boisterous and loud, especially with Rock Lee. Now, he was a seriously elite jonin ready to stop Hiashi's disgusting crime.

"The problem is, I didn't know before. A week and a half ago, I sent out a group of chunin to carry out a mission. I sent them off at the Konoha gates. When they opened, a cart filled with people whose hands and feet were bounded together, entered the village. I stopped the man in control of their transport and demanded to know what he was doing. He informed me that this was all Hiashi's idea, that he needed a work force to handle circumstances around his palace. Apparently, it's not just Hiashi anymore; other important leaders of the other lands are doing the same thing."

"**How horrible!"**

I nodded, in agreement to Kobato's words.

"I know age doesn't matter, and that this act is completely wrong against all people. You must all know that these fiends force this upon children and young adolescents."

The image of Matsuri seeped into my heart. She sat peacefully in a garden, speaking to a hummingbird while enjoying the taste of a spongy slice of kasutera. Only to have her tranquility disturbed by a frightening group of burly men, tying up her hands and feet, sending her to an unfamiliar place where she would be mistreated and hurt by strangers.

Something must be done.

"Where were most of these slaves from?" Mitarashi Anko interrogated.

The hokage rubbed her temples, recalling the memory, "I believe many of them came from Sunagakure."

At the mention of the said village, I peeped at oba-san who remained indifferent over the course of the conversation.

"I'm not surprised. In fact, Suna historically came into existence because of slaves. All countries were originally a part of Konoha. During the Uchiha-Haruno civil war, problems arose. A large population of war captives and slaves fled to seek freedom and had nowhere else to go but the desert. It was the promise land they looked forward to living in, to start a new life. At one point in their history, they rose to power and controlled their neighbors. Unfortunately, their vision of maintaining prosperity and success failed. The other developing countries, including Konoha, refused to help them because of their unreliability. To keep themselves from going bankrupt, although they suffered through all sorts of depressions, the people of suna specialized in combat. They were often hired as mercenaries by other countries to relieve their country's financial strain. What a drag, they're still in the same predicament."

Shikamaru's massive IQ never ceases to amaze me!

"Quit your rambling, Shikamaru. We know about Sunagakure's history. We're not ignorant fools," reminded Shimura Danzo, a frail old man whose chin was scarred with an x-shaped mark with black shaggy hair and bandages covering his right eye while pointing his cane threateningly.

"Troublesome man…" Shika mumbled under his breath.

"What was that?" Danzo leaned forward towards the young man, peering dangerously.

"Oh, what? Me? Dunno what you're talking about," Shikamaru leaned back in his chair while placing his hands behind his head, smirking.

"Tsunade-sama, forgive me for arriving late."

All heads turned into the direction of the door closing shut, onto the man we were not expecting. The hokage herself did a double take, smiling warmly at the man, who most certainly could not have been Hyuga Hiashi.

"Welcome," she greeted while shaking his hand as he took a seat beside Nekobaa. The amount of attention this man demanded was phenomenal, even Kakashi-san closed his book and gazed intriguingly at the stranger.

"Ohayōgozaimasu, Minna-san. I'm here to talk to you about-" While scanning all the faces in the room, he stopped his speech after laying eyes on me. Those beautiful amethyst eyes that allowed my musing enchantment to resurface once we met again. His stardust locks glistened in the morning light as the sun's glare reflected onto the entire room. The command in his soft, angelic voice was incredible. Not a soul, even the most disrespectful of those here, challenged the man's surreal divinity. "Hi," he waved, smiling courteously. It was communication, from soul to soul. We had known each other before, whether or not it was from a past life. The good feelings, the heavenly essence, and the light from within began to show. I was no longer afraid or broken. The love was mutual. A blush crept onto my face. This heavenly being was speaking to me. Out of everyone in the room, he acknowledged _me_. My squeamish nerves tightened. My heart fluttered. The song of life was now liberated from the dark hopelessness grasping my spirit. The rouge forming on my cheeks grew stronger in color. I dared not to breathe, his soul was too pure for me taint it. My hand shook uncomfortably as I waved, attempting to smile normally.

"O-Ohayo, Hidan-san…"

I felt oba-san's anger rise. She turned to me as soon as I uttered his name. I knew that once we got home, I'd never hear the end of it. She'd punish me, although, I wasn't quite sure what I did to receive punishment in the first place.

No one, not a single soul was capable of making me feel the way Hidan-san did, not _ever_.

"Hidan, please inform everyone as to why you're here," Tsunade-san brought the meeting back on track.

"Arigato, Tsunade-sama, for allowing me to be here today."

He brought his awe-inspiring attention onto me again, "I don't think Sakura here mentioned to the rest of you what happened a while ago. She and I encountered members of the Akatsuki in the forest of the death. This is an important matter; Konohagakure is being targeted for an attack."

"What makes you so sure, _boy_?" Chiyo baa-sama questioned suspiciously.

"What are you deaf, old woman? Didn't you hear what he just said? This is the _Akatsuki_ we're talking about. Their intentions are not meant to be questioned, but acted upon. If this man claims he saw them within the boundaries of our village, then there's no choice to believe him. He's on our side, stop making these stupid assumptions," Anko responded, interrupting Hidan.

Baa-san's fists clenched. I knew what that meant, she was boiling furiously inside.

"I can think of only one reason why the Akatsuki are here, infiltrating our village."

All eyes rolled into the direction of Utatane Koharu, sitting with her arms folded, thinking pensively.

"It must have something to do with that Uchiha boy," she claimed.

"Now just wait a min-" Shizune started before Danzo cut her off.

"Koharu is right. I knew that runt couldn't be trusted. He once was affiliated with the Akatsuki before, why wouldn't he do it again? No wonder he's been isolated in his family's abandoned compound. It was the perfect moment to plot against us. A missing nin will always be a missing nin. He will never be one of us."

"No."

The once calm demeanor of Hatake Kakashi dissipated as he slammed the table with his hand.

"I won't repeat myself, do I make myself clear? You will leave my pupil out of this mess. How dare you accuse Sasuke! You fools have no evidence that he's behind the Akatsuki's appearance. Sasuke will never walk back onto that path again, Naruto and I made sure of that long ago."

Everyone grew quiet, hearing Kakashi speak. It seemed that he was generally not a talkative man, for once he spoke, it was of importance. Gai and Iruka-sensei gave him thumbs up while nodding in agreement.

"Matte, I have to agree-"Iruka-sensei declared, this time, with his papers all organized in a neat pile.

Homura disregarded Umino Iruka's opinion while forming his own, "No, Danzo is completely on to something. I say that before Konoha suffers from another invasion, we must kill Uchiha Sasuke. It would solve all of our problems. That way, we won't have to deal with another threat."

"Yes!"

"I knew it!"

"Bakas! Stop-" Tsunade-san attempted to shush them.

"So we were right all along!"

"We can do this!"

"Hai!"

"No, stop-" Shizune tried defending again.

"Haha!"

"You're causing an unruly commo-" Iruka tried halting the uproar.

"We will defeat that damned Akatsuki!"

"This is unyouthful! I-" Gai-sensei shouted.

"Shut your mouth, Gai," Homura-san retorted as the outcries continued.

"It's been Konoha's destiny to destroy all those who oppose us!"

"We will win!"

"No one dares to outwit the land of fire!"

"Kami-sama has listened to our prayers!"

"Kami-sama won't allow-"Anko's comeback was drowned out by the noise.

"No one can stand in our way!"

"How troublesome," Shikamaru uttered, not happy with the decisions the elders were making.

"They will bow down under our rule!"

"We will allow them to taste the bittersweet remedy of revenge!"

A riot broke out into the room, all repeating statements made by the elders, who demanded for Sasuke's murder. They called themselves wise and honorable, but, ending the life of a member of their own village was inhumane. At the last statement, my heart sank. Tears clouded my vision, and my body acted on its own.

"Victory will be ours!"

"Konohagakure shall prevail!"

_I-I can't allow them…they cann-"_

"Send these Akatsuki members early to their deathbeds!"

"Let Uchiha Sasuke burn in hell!"

My thoughts ceased as my chair was pushed back and my stance, unmoved, glaring at the elders with my arms spread on either side of me, impeding the revenge-driven madness.

"STOP!"

**Author's Note: **Ending it right here! What'd you think? Please review, I haven't gotten a whole lot. I would truly appreciate your kind words. Anything that you liked, anything I could improve on. Just ANYTHING! Also, about the last chapter, did you happen to get the drift who the nightingale was?

Have a great rest of your weekend everyone. I've been busy with school work. Not sure when the next update will be, so I figured I'd make this long and hopefully you all will REVIEW! Trust me, reviewing makes us authors feel good and helps us in our writing.

Tootles,

~Sweetness


	15. Will of Fire

**Author's Note: **Hey everyone! I know it's been a while. I've been so busy for the past few weeks, preparing for exams and an interview in New York City. It went pretty well to say the least! It was interesting. One guy was the "good cop" the other acted as the "bad cop". I managed to make them both laugh and smile! (In a good way, of course.) Looks like I possess a gift after all! Anyway, on with this chapter!

**Chapter 15: Will of Fire**

All eyes were on me, with Hidan's face as the only source of comfort here. My passionate feelings overrode my reasoning, standing before the most powerful of all of Konohagakure. There was no point in sitting back down now. Surprisingly, I had overcome my fear of their vengeance, now my only hope was for them to listen to a commoner such as myself.

Shikamaru's irritated expression slowly transformed into an approving grin, inwardly cheering me on. I could feel it; I knew I'd won his loyal support. As my protruding arms were placed on either side of my body, I flinched from the sheer pain of the jagged glass shards sinking into my bruised skin. To relieve the burning sensation, my breathing rate increased shutting my eyes briefly, while imagining my happy place and reopening them to deliver an improvised speech.

Stating my problem with the Uchiha coup posed a challenge, relaying my appropriate choice of words to these wealthy and experienced upper class officials beneath my tentative gaze.

"A-Ano…before I make my claim, I want each of you to know that I mean no disrespect. I merely desire to state my opinion."

With time, my constricted nerves loosened after speaking the last word, exhaling finally after a breathless sentence.

"And what gives you the right to state your opinion, _child_?" Homura scoffed while fixating his glasses onto my trembling figure.

The man's arrogance rivaled Uchiha Sasuke himself. His degrading disrespect was beyond aggravating, but, this was the time to be diplomatic and run through my point in a cool and calm fashion.

"If I recall correctly, Homura-san, Konoha is a democratic nation. Whether I'm a member of this council or not doesn't matter, because I'm a citizen of this village. If you can sit patiently and listen to the queries of Hidan-san who does not hold any form of political power, then you should do the same with me."

I watched as Hidan-san's beaming countenance remained unwavering, with the brilliance of his shining amaranthine orbs reflecting onto my determined viridian ones. Directing my attention to the elders, who were ready to pounce on whatever ounce of courage I had left, proved to be a challenge.

"**Believe in yourself, Sakura-chan. Do not let their cruelty dictate you."**

_Cruelty…_that's exactly how these self-proclaimed "refined" and "enlightened" elders planned to solve the problem, by murdering a fellow villager, who had no evidence against him that he was the sole being who allowed the Akatsuki members to infiltrate Konoha. Where was the logic? Didn't these people call themselves the wise folk? Even more importantly, where were the morality, ethics, and compassion? Weren't these three values the basis for Konohagakure's constitution? For the foundation of all human beings?

One of my arms lay gently by my side, while the other, bent slightly as my right hand placed itself between my breasts, clenching the thriving inferno within.

"Why…why are we called the land of fire?"

It was a ghostly whisper, but the meaning behind it was neither hollow nor empty. It was a question surrounding the true purpose of Konoha's existence. Everyone in the room was aware of this fact, whether or not they chose to acknowledge it. Truth be told, the question slipped out of my mouth. I had no idea what I was getting at, but instead, chose to explore the statement's significance by rambling on.

Pure silence filled the air as I struggled to figure out what I wanted to say. Oba-san was not pleased with my outspoken behavior. Her pursed lips, suppressing the woman's deep resentment, opened and revealed the partial set of pointed teeth she had left along with her raw gums, shaping into a belittling scowl.

Danzo impatiently pounded the table with his scalding cup of aromatic jasmine tea.

"If you can't spit it out, then leave you useless-"

"Matte," Tsunade-sama stringently ordered, with catechizing stares inclining towards the female authority figure as her sharp, golden-brown eyes locked onto me.

"Let her finish."

Shimura Danzo had no choice but to comply and reluctantly provide me with his undivided attention.

"**Go on, Sakura-chan. You're doing great," **Kobato assured confidently.

And she was right. I was going to give this a try and finish all in one piece. This was my time. Nothing could stop me.

"Your desire to kill Uchiha Sasuke is strikingly similar to the dangerous tendencies of fire, the side that is fueled by hatred and vengeance; the entity that will soon corrupt the souls of those who feed on the pain of innocent people. We are not disgusting vultures, but human beings. Sasuke is a member of our village, a kind and caring man with good intentions."

And that was it. My heart was gone. The overwhelming butterfly sensation settling in the pit of my stomach was so strong that my hands gripped onto it tightly to appease this all too common feeling familiar to an immature teenager. No matter how hard I tried, Sasuke's indifferent face flew in and out of my mind. His broad shoulders, his icy cool stare, the man's proud smirk, and his wild raven hair. Whoever or _whatever_ he was, Uchiha Sasuke burned through me more so than the unbearable pain I was currently experiencing from the broken mirror pieces plunging into my skin. It was a feeling I had never dealt with. The ardent flames of passion flared deep inside my heart. It craved for _something_. I vaguely remember this feeling at the age of ten. It was equivalent to a candle light, one so small that was capable of growing in size to a monstrous flame. Oba-san put it out long ago. It seemed that the embers compiled over the years and grew into _this_. This was now the monstrous flame that oba-san was afraid of. She couldn't stop it no matter how hard she tried, no matter how hard _I _attempted to end this ravaging lust.

_Lust_…an intense yearning or appetite. This illicit desire is what destroys people; it has been the mortal enemy of man kind since the beginning of time. Many died for this feeling, for this sin. To want something so badly and to obtain it by whatever means, is that a part of human nature? Now that I have truly felt the powers of this mysterious innervation, I wish for it to diminish immediately. It simply did not touch my heart, but held it firmly within its grasp. The wickedness and overall evil intentions present within this feeling was inconceivable. Goosebumps formed all over my arms and legs. It was sick and vile. I never wanted to feel this disgusting ever again. I would be destroyed. This couldn't happen; I had a goal to fulfill.

Instead I continued to speak of the Uchiha objectively, hoping to do away with this repulsive lechery.

"How do you know the Uchiha boy has good intentions, Haruno Sakura?" Utatane Koharu inquired, testing my reliability.

"I felt it in my heart. My feelings could not be discounted, Koharu-san. Sasuke has suffered so much in his life. He's made many mistakes, but that doesn't make him a bad person. I felt that he deserved a second chance. It's going to take a long time for him to recover from his scars, both mental and physical, but I believe in him. He possesses a good heart."

The sound of a chair sliding back on the floor turned my attention to oba-san who rose from her seat and glared daggers right at me, you'd have to be blind not to be able to see it.

"That's enough. We're leaving, Sakura."

I stood with my feet planted in my original spot, refusing her order.

"What did I just say, Sakura?" she fumed.

In place of the lust I experienced moments ago, grew anger and rage. Here I was telling every one of my true feelings and how we should be dealing with the problem. There was no way I was going to let this woman's cruelty take control of my life.

_Not anymore._

"No."

Her cinereal eyes widened in fury, "You will stop your nonsense and come with me."

This time Hidan stood, "If Sakura doesn't want to leave, then you shouldn't force her."

_I love this man already, _I couldn't help but think, smiling uncontrollably. The safety and comfort from this human being was as if it were a treasure lost for centuries. Within the mounds of gold there was to feast my eyes upon were the rare amethyst jewels I've spent a lifetime searching for.

"Quiet, _boy_," she demanded while grabbing my arm as I jerked back and moved away from her.

"I'm not finished, grandmother Chiyo."

The authority in my once quivering voice was evident. Her response was not as I had expected, she stepped back and seated herself again not without a scornful look. It seemed as if I really did have the potential to take control of my life. How long was I going to continue to wait? The sooner, the better. I had the advantage. Grandmother could not spew berating assaults at me now, since she was in the presence of an esteemed group of people. What would they think if she retaliated and showed her real self?

"Believe me when I say that Uchiha Sasuke is an honest and sincere man. I know this because we've been interacting with each other for the past few days. He's not conspiring. He's not one of the Akatsuki. Sasuke is just alone and confused. He realizes the wrong he's done. I don't think that's why he shows his face out in the open here amongst the villagers. He's taught me some important valuable lessons. He must remain a part of Konohagakure. It's his home. _We're _his home, and we must act like it."

The room fell dead silent. This time without any whispers or miniscule hand gestures. There was nothing. At a time like this, I wish I had the ability to read minds. All I knew was that I tried my best. I was courageous enough to stand before these exalted members of my village and advise the right action to take. My left eye flashed into the direction of Tsunade-sama who stood still, deep in thought. As both of her hands raised, I instinctively broke into complete fear. This was a signal of foreboding punishment. All was lost, I was doomed. Who knew what would be awaiting me. House arrest? Public humiliation? Banishment? Or even worse, death?

"**It's not what you think it is, Sakura-chan."**

Without even questioning Kobato-chan, I continued watching the hokage. Her hands that were raised high above her head, slowly lowered. She brought them next to each other, allowing for skin on skin contact. The echo produced from the sound as her hands clasped together was a form of sincere appreciation, providing me with a sense that I had performed a job well done.

_Applause_…?

The stern appearance on Tsunade-san's face washed away, leaving a wide smile. As she did this, more bodies arose with the same response. The claps in the room grew louder and faster than before. Even the sight of Koharu-san and Nekobaa doing the same thing was astounding.

_I-I can't believe this!_

Along with the excited bodily movements, were the impressed remarks. I had surprised everyone here, including myself. The only ones not choosing to participate in this celebratory moment were Homura-san, Danzo-san, and Chiyo baa-sama. The two men stared down onto their laps, ignoring what was going on around them. It seemed as if they lost some of their pride, to me. Oba-san was not afraid to bore her haunting eyes menacingly into mine. The old woman's dark purple veins around her pupils and temples dilated acutely. She and I both knew what would happen once we returned home. This might be the worst punishment I would ever receive. The kiss of death awaited me.

Never was I used to all this attention, a blush instead crept onto my face as Gai sensei walked over and put his arm around me while flashing one of his famously ostentatious grins and showering me with praises of youth. Briefly I watched Kakashi-san exchange a few words with the hokage and left the room in a hurry, not without smiling lazily with a seemingly disappointed Shizune staring after his retreating figure.

"Sakura…your speech was not so much a drag after all," Shikamaru complemented.

I chuckled at his usual choice of words as Hidan-san held my hand delicately.

"That was wonderful, Sakura."

The heavenly essence this man held within was unbelievable. I felt something godly about him. He was a pure soul. One who retained his youthful goodness. How could anyone equate to his angelic nature? There was not a soul like him.

"**T-This man…he-"**

"Sakura, well done," Tsunade-sama saluted as I bowed before her graciously.

While my body lowered itself, the pain grew worse and sent sharp pangs throughout my body. It was only natural that I spring back up and bring my hands to my waist, where I felt the impact and shut my eyes, hoping to alleviate the feeling.

This did not go unnoticed by the hokage herself.

"Sakura!"

I watched as her eyes moved toward the scarlet red liquid slowly flood the floor. The bleeding was not subsiding. In fact, too much had been released this time, and dizziness overcame me. Hidan-san caught my falling form, holding me within his strong grasp.

"Shizune, quick! She needs help!" Lady Tsunade informed immediately.

As the hokage's faithful assistant arrived, oba-san made her way to the group of people around me and looked upon my injuries nonchalantly.

"She's fine. Let her come home with me, Tsunade."

The said woman moved about the room and stood by grandmother Chiyo, hardening her gaze.

"Let her come home and do what? Your old age must be causing you severe blindness if you can't see the poor child's abrasions. She's bleeding profusely and you wave it off like it's nothing. I bet you don't plan on treating her properly at home. As the hokage, I'm going to care for the girl for the time being. She needs professional assistance."

From my blurry vision, I noticed Chiyo baa-sama crossing over to the other side of the room, towards the doorway.

"Aren't you going to stay by her side and comfort her?" Shizune called out, turning her attention away from my deeply severe affliction.

Without looking back, oba-san said nothing and left us all bewildered.

"Witch…" Tsunade-san muttered under her breath.

Waking up to all sorts of machines, pumps, and panicking hospital staff members was unnerving. I sat up in my bed looking to my left, hoping to see any sign of grandmother Chiyo. Our relationship was in fact broken, but, it would have been nice to see a blood relative sitting beside me, telling me that everything was going to be alright.

The stagnant hospital environment created a dingy and hopeless aura. Nothing about the place was refreshing. There was no _life_. It was clear that people just moved along and performed their daily jobs as told. Saving lives was the foundation for this institution, but, I couldn't help but wonder why the staff didn't bother promoting a lively atmosphere for their patients. I felt uncomfortable here. This place could certainly use Ino's fashionably colorful expertise.

My head cast down, letting a frustrated sigh escape my lips while gripping tightly onto the plain white bed sheets.

"**Sakura-chan, you're alright!"**

Hearing Kobato's voice was relieving. I snapped my head towards the right, where she stood perched onto the windowsill, smiling at me.

_I'm fine, Kobato-chan. Thank you so much for checking up on me. You're a wonderful friend._

"What are you looking at, Sakura?" Shizune asked, eyeing the window as well.

"Oh! Nothing, I was just…enjoying the view from up here. It's a nice day out."

"It sure is. How are you feeling?"

"I'm okay. I still feel some pain in my legs and arms and the dizziness is still there. How long was I asleep?" I notified her, while shrugging my shoulders.

"You've been out for two days. After the meeting with the elders Hidan-san brought you to the hospital and Tsunade-sama, with her medical team, performed a simple blood transfusion procedure. Slight pain and dizziness is normal. It should go away within a day or so. I would recommend that you get lots of rest."

"H-Hidan-san brought me here?"

That seemed to bring a wide smile to Shizune's brightening face.

"He hasn't left your side since he brought you here. The poor guy even slept in this room, on an uncomfortable chair. One of our staff members suggested that he go home and we'd eventually notify him of your condition. He told us he had no home to return to, and that he belonged here in Konoha with you."

My mouth fell open. My jade green orbs opening wide.

_What could he mean by that?_

"Where is he now?"

Shizune-san grew aware of my desperation in locating the man.

"Gai-san suggested that he take a load off and enjoy his youth, so the two of them went to the steak house for a bite to eat. Don't worry, he'll be back, I promise."

Before letting the woman go, I replied with another pending question.

"Shizune-san…has my grandmother stopped by?"

Her gesture did not surprise me. There was nothing positive about her response.

"Gomen nasai, Sakura-san. I'm afraid she did not."

"Not _once_?"

"No," she frowned.

"Maybe she had important errands to run," she spoke optimistically, trying to make light of the situation.

_What could be more important than your own family?_

I nodded, signaling a, "Thank you," while she informed me that Tsunade-san would be here shortly, leaving the room temporarily. A dark figure on the other side of the hall, from what I could see from the open doorway, sat outside one of the rooms while rubbing his temples anxiously. There was no sign of an orange book in his hands, something must have been wrong.

"Shizune, have the results arrived yet? Did the hokage complete her diagnosis?"

"Oh, K-Kakashi-san…" the woman realized, startled by the man's presence.

"I-I'm afraid the results aren't back yet. Tsunade-sama has to run further testing. She plans on checking up on his condition in a few hours. Everything's going to be alright. Is there anything you need?" she offered.

Kakashi-san's uncovered eye stared back solemnly at the woman before him.

"I need for him to heal…." He murmured.

Shizune-san placed a hand on his shoulder, ensuring her support, as she walked off into one of the emergency rooms. I leaned forward, peeking through the small window of the door Kakashi-san sat in front of. My interest peaked when he rose and entered the room. He opened the door and-

"FOREHEAD!"

_Way to ruin my view, Ino-pig!_

She suffocated me with her embrace as I smiled to the best of my ability under the pressure of her hold, as Sai pulled her away while Ayame chuckled at the scene.

"**Is she always this troublesome? Wow, now I'm beginning to sound like Shikamaru!"**

_You get used to it after a while. Imagine, we've known each other since we were kids._

"Sai! My best friend is lying here in the hospital, and you expect me to be calm about it?"

Most likely used to Ino-pig's loud outbursts, Sai ignored the blonde.

"How are you feeling, Sakura? We heard about the news and came as fast as we could."

"I don't see the big deal about it you guys. It was just a simple blood transfus-"

Ino's gasp filled the room.

"Blood transfusion! Of course that's a big deal, Sakura! Tell us now, what happened? Why were you seriously injured?"

"I was being clumsy, that's all."

Before Ino could interrogate me anymore, Ayame interrupted.

"Ino, maybe now isn't the best time. Sakura just woke up, let's give her a break."

"Fine, but just to let you know billboard brow, I'm not letting this slide easily!" the pig stated, immaturely crossing her arms while pouting her rouge lips.

"Sakura, I figured since you weren't well, I thought I'd bring a soothing pot of beef ramen to give you back your strength."

Ayame-chan stepped aside, revealing a mobile cart with a stove sitting atop a freshly lit fire, ready to be consumed. This was an offer I couldn't pass up, my stomach was already grumbling.

"You sound hungry," she stated the obvious while pouring a serving of the liquid into a bowl, handing it to me and repeating the same steps for Sai and Ino.

All four of us remained quiet, savoring the taste of the delicious meal before us. It made my body feel whole again. Within a few minutes, I was able to finish my portion and do the same with seconds, even thirds!

"Ayame-chan this was delicious, thank you so much."

She nodded as Ino observed the room around us.

"Where's granny?"

Thoughts of the old woman made me want to puke everything back out again. How she disgusted me so. For two days, I was stuck in this horrid place, recovering from injuries which _she _caused. Was there no sense of compassion in this woman? I wanted to feel loved and accepted, that's all I could ever ask for. I shook uncontrollably. This time there were no tears. I was purely livid. Oblivious to the attention I received from the others, I did the unthinkable.

My trembling form grabbed my empty soup bowl on the desk next to the bed, throwing it on the other side of the room with enough force that it flew through the windows.

"S-Sakura….? You alright?" Ino asked with her shocked expression completely evident.

I dared not to look at the damage I did, for I was too wrapped up in my own thoughts. They continued to call my name, but I did not respond, I merely cried. The tears would not stop falling.

The door slammed open, revealing Hidan-san.

"What happened to you?" He asked, concernedly.

The man sat on my bed, beside me, and wrapped me into a loving embrace as I sat still, taking in his warmth.

"Tell me what's wrong…" he said while pulling away from me.

The cold air I felt as he removed himself from my personal space was a feeling I didn't like. Instead, I gravitated toward the man again and held onto him, burying my head into his chest.

"Gomen…" I whispered.

"What's going on here?" A voice that sounded like the hokage asked.

Ayame answered for her, "We're not sure. Sakura seemed to be really angry at first and then she started crying hysterically."

"Probably from the meds I gave her…Sakura, are you alright?" she ascertained.

I nodded, confirming her assumption.

She briefly turned to my three friends, "I'm sorry to say this, you three, but I'm afraid you'll have to leave the room."

That did not fly with Ino.

"Whaaaaaaaat? But Lady hokage, we _just_ got here! Please, I-"

"No butts! I need to do a little check up on Sakura, and I think she would feel more comfortable in the privacy of her own room."

Ino pouted her lips yet again and dangerously narrowed her azure eyes, a sign for Sai to step in.

"You are _absolutely _right, Hokage-sama. We need to give Sakura her privacy so that you can quickly run your procedure so she can heal faster. Hopefully it won't take long? I'm afraid I'll be off on a mission soon and won't be able to see her on another day."

The harmony sounding from Tsunade-san's laugh put everyone at ease.

"Don't worry, it won't take long. I'll let you know when I'm finished."

"Splendid. If you need us, Sakura, we'll be out in the waiting area."

I smiled as all three of them exited the room.

"Hidan, I'm afraid that same rule applies to you too," she declared.

"No!"

The two heads immediately turned to face me.

"Tsunade-sama, can Hidan-san stay?"

The man I yearned for chuckled, "Of course, but, before we start the procedure I wanted to give you something."

Tsunade-san and I watched as he reached deep within the fabrics of his clothes, raising an important document of sorts, and handed it to me.

"The day after we met, I wandered from village to village, continuing to live peacefully. One day, I crossed paths with a young man who was affiliated with Konohagakure. He was loud and boisterous, but friendly and optimistic. In our conversation, I mentioned your name and he wanted me to send this letter to you."

He placed it in the palm of my hand while I untied the simple black ribbon keeping it rolled up. The document opened before me and I thoroughly scanned the dark ink scrawled onto the paper.

_**Sakura-chan,**_

_**By the time you've received this letter, I will have traveled far and wide across many different villages. I'm on a journey of self discovery. By remaining in Konoha, I knew I couldn't accomplish much here. I've failed so many people, most importantly, you. I love you. I still do, even after you ran away. My heart broke when you left me there alone, but, I deserved it. That night I did a lot of self reflection, and I've come to realize that I'm still the weak and immature person you've known all your life. You would never accept me for who I am, but the reality is, I want your acceptance. I want the entire village's acceptance. It was a question all my life that I wanted answered, and I slowly realized that I had to answer it for myself. People in Konoha are still cruel and heartless. I couldn't continue to live my life here. I needed to leave and learn from others, so I could master the strength of the monster inside me, the reason for why the entire village hates me so much. Sakura-chan, you are beautiful and pure in every way possible. My cursed presence will only taint you in the end. I can't bear to make you miserable, it'll make me miserable. I hope you understand everything I'm saying. I miss Konoha, I miss my friends, I miss you. Maybe we'll meet again in another life, but for now, I have to find my will, my way. **_

_**Gomen Nasai,**_

_**Naruto.**_

**Author's Note: **THAT'S THE LAST BIT OF THIS CHAPPIE! Next one should come out soon! Again sorry for the late update, been really busy. Yes, FINALLY we hear something from Naruto! He's playing a big role in this fic! So…what's the nature of Sakura's relationship with Hidan? What do you think? Can you guess who must've been in that room Kakashi walked into? Also, this is the chapter when Sakura starts her slow development as a character. As from the title of this chapter, I'm sure you can tell. Well I'm off! Hope the weather is nice today!

PLEASE REVIEW PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE! It would really make my day. For the last chapter I only got 3 reviews which made me so sad because I spend a lot of time on it. Please, I would like a lot more.

I'm depending on you all!

Tootles,

~Sweetness


	16. from a Soft Coo to a Strong Voice

**Author's Note: **Hey everyone! So I'm on spring break now, which makes me very happy! The weather has been BEAUTIFUL, it's so uplifting! It's getting closer to summer! Gosh, there's just so much to look forward to. Hope everything is going well for all of you guys. Also, since its spring break, I get to update more often! So stay tuned for more updates. I'll try to do it as often as I can. Thank you to the following who reviewed the last chapter:

**thedoggydog2**

**TheBloodyLoveOfSakuraHaruno**

**Hotaru Himura**

**Cutecookiechick**

You guys are the best readers an author could ever ask for. New record, I got FOUR reviews for the last chapter. It's an improvement from the last time. Shame on you other readers! Why aren't you reviewing? It makes me sad to check my story's traffic everyday, seeing that over a hundred people are reading _Secret of the Heart_. Please read this chapter, and all of you review! PLEASE! I'll give you cookies, or whatever your beautiful hearts desire.

*Sigh* It might not happen, it's just a sad dream I keep immersing myself in, wishing that all of you would review. Well anyway, here's chapter 16!

**Chapter 16: from a Soft Coo to a Strong Voice**

_It was spring, and the cherry blossoms flourished across the land. With the bitterness of the winter weather gone came the frolicking of young children begging their teachers to stay outside for as long as possible. A young girl born with exotic strawberry locks sat alone by the sandbox, watching her fellow classmates create castles and sand angels. _

"_Ew! Look Ami, she's got pink hair!" A girl pointed._

_They sneered as the lonely child walked off, observing the slides and swing sets. She spotted a ladder and climbed the rungs, hoping to be next in line for the slide. A heavier boy clad in a red polo and jean shorts pushed her off._

"_Get off, you're an alien, you don't belong here!" he warned while cracking his fists as the other boys around him laughed. _

_The girl had no choice but to comply and climbed back down the ladder. Meekly, she uttered an apology while making her way towards the edge of the playground. The teachers were fully engrossed in their conversations, unaware of the not so kid friendly environment around them. _

_A creaking sound caught the young child's attention as she watched two of her classmates dismount from a wooden see-saw. She turned to her left and right sides, checking to see if anyone else planned on riding the exhilarating contraption. She ran across the wood chips on the ground and clambered the narrow plank pivoted downwards. _

_The child soon realized that in order for this to work, another person had to be sitting on the other side. Desperately, she searched for a friendly face to accompany her. The ones who did pass by averted their eyes and scowled. When looking left, a pair of hands pushed her off the teeter totter. _

"_Hey look, its alien girl!" the same boy taunted._

"_Kazuo, that name's getting too old! She's got pink hair; why not call her pig face? Oink oink!"_

_Kazuo's friend stepped closer to the girl and snorted as loud as he could while repeating the repulsive animalistic sound. The group behind the boys increased in size as they all responded in the same manner, guffawing at the child's appearance. _

"_Forget the hair, have you seen her forehead? It's H-U-G-E! You could land a plane on that thing!" the girl Ami insulted._

"_Billboard brow!" one of her friends shouted._

"_Pig face!"_

"_Alien!"_

"_Pink-haired freak!"_

"_Ugly weirdo!"_

_The contempt lying within the hurtful name calling of the girl's classmates was clear. She was not welcome. They treated her as an outsider. Why were they doing this? The child had not done anything wrong, nothing to provoke their barbarian behavior. Tears welled up in her innocent emerald eyes as the verbal attacks went on. She gazed past the crowd, to the teachers, hoping they would notice the commotion. They were oblivious. _

_The child shuffled her feet backwards, with her hands buried within the dirt, retreating to the see-saw behind her. With its slanted form, she used it advantageously to reach the middle point, where the weight was balanced. _

"_You think you can run from me, forehead freak? Think again! Katsuo, Keiji, let's get her!" Kazuo ordered._

_The three boys cornered their victim, stuck in the middle and could do nothing but cower in fear. Two of the boys pushed their weight on both sides, hoping the girl would fall into the arms of Kazuo who would crush her within his grasp. It didn't help that the other children were chanting the names of the bullies cheerfully and booing the girl. _

"_Wait just a minute!"_

_All heads turned to a shoulder length, white-haired man dressed in ANBU gear, towering over the group. _

"_What are you kids doing? You're causing a disturbance."_

_All was quiet until the so-called "popular" Watanabe Ami cheekily covered for the three boys._

"_Oh, Mizuki-sensei! We were just watching a round of monkey in the middle. Our lovely pink-haired classmate volunteered to be the monkey this time."_

"_Then why does she look scared?" Mizuki asked._

_Batting her lashes shamefully, Ami fabricated yet another lie._

"_Gee, sensei, I would've thought you had known! When you play the part of the monkey, you're supposed to look scared. She's playing her role perfectly!"_

_The pink-haired child shook her head violently and opened her mouth to say otherwise, not before receiving glares from everyone around her._

_Mizuki scratched the back of his head, "Well if you say so. Thank you for informing me Ami, you're as thoughtful and polite as always. To the rest of you, carry on with your game. Just make sure you avoid roughhousing!"_

_The man walked off as Kazuo uttered a quiet, "I intend to…"_

_The crowd's cheering continued, as well as the poor girl's scrambling in frustration. On her right side, both Keiji and Kazuo applied double the amount of weight. When they did, the child was caught off guard, falling helplessly onto the ground. _

_The young audience cried louder while raising their arms and flailing them wildly, watching the "monkey" gasp in pain. _

"_Got her now!" Kazuo victoriously proclaimed while running towards her with his henchmen following behind him._

"_This is what you get for being an ugly, pink-haired FREAK!" the bully barked ferociously while cracking his knuckles and clasping his hands into fists._

_She had no choice but to endure the pain. Deciding that witnessing the impact would be much worse, she closed her eyes tightly. _

_Momentarily, the girl flinched, anticipating the pain. However, bewilderment replaced fear when she heard gasps and murmurs amongst the crowd. Her jade orbs widened when her antagonizer cried for mercy holding onto the arm of another boy who kept both of his hands tightly around the neck of his victim. He possessed sandy blonde hair, shaped into intimidating spikes. Three whisker-like facial markings were placed outlandishly on both sides of his face, growing more feral as moments passed. His eyes were what the girl noticed the most. Blue, blue as the deep blue sea. Although the color of his enticing orbs did them justice, the amount of emotion inside could not compare. There was not a glint of light within his eyes. It looked as if the sun disappeared behind dark, ominous clouds indicating a series of unfortunate events. A violent storm began to form and overtake her savior. _

"_P-Please! I-I'll do anything!" Kazuo plead. _

_The blonde intimidator growled in response and held onto Kazuo tighter, almost choking him. The floral-haired girl could not stop staring at the mysterious individual in front of her. Strangely enough, she felt a dangerous aura radiating from him. He intended to do serious harm. _

"_M-Matte!" the young girl called._

_All eyes moved toward her as she solely stared into the darkening ones of the newcomer. _

"_Don't hurt him…" she whispered._

_This time, everyone was completely quiet. Not a sound echoed, but the eyelid flapping of the dazed school children. The most confused seem to be the blonde boy, who looked back at Kazuo and scowled. His eyes softened while gazing upon the girl he saved, with his lips forming a straight line. He bared his teeth again after noticing Kazuo's oncoming tears, gave his neck one last squeeze, and released him._

_Kazuo, relieved, gasped hysterically to obtain as much oxygen as he could. When the panicking stopped, Keiji and Katsuo stood beside their leader and glared at the one who ruined their game of "fun". Their enemy was not the least bit fazed by their onslaught. _

"_What happened here?" Mizuki inquired suspiciously._

"_I heard someone crying for help. Someone answer me now." He stated again._

_The howling gust of the wind interrupted the pink-haired child from speaking, since her voice was drowned out by the rustling of the leaves and breaking tree branches._

"_I did, it was all his fault! He was choking me, I could've DIED sensei!" Kazuo pointed accusingly at his coercer, who stood baring his teeth again. _

_Mizuki bent down eye level with the light-haired student._

"_Is this true?" _

_His head bent slightly, with bangs falling in front of his sun-kissed face. The grimness evident inside his orbs were now shielded from the outside world. The boy pursed his lips, trying his best not to act out. _

_Not anticipating an answer from the child, Mizuki-sensei stood back up again._

"_Well, young man, you will serve detention after school today as punishment. As for the rest of you, recess is over, back to class!"_

_Everyone broke out of their respective groups and followed him inside the school, keeping their distance from their classmate who caused the commotion in the first place. The girl he saved couldn't help but stare after his figure, who briefly glanced at her before continuing on with the day. Unlike the others, the pink-haired child could not wrap her head around what she witnessed. That boy held some strange power, capable of undeniable destruction. Why did he save her? _

_The day finally ended, and the girl spent her time wandering around after class in the midst of the congested hallways. As the time approached four o'clock in the afternoon, the building was empty. She explored the other rooms and found herself staring at the back of her savior, who was now washing one of the blackboards with a soapy bucket of water and a durable cloth. _

"_Stupid Mizuki…stupid Kazuo…stupid everything!"_

_His anger became more apparent, and the girl felt a surge of energy rise within him. _

"_I swear, next time I see him, I'll-"_

_Before the boy finished his sentence, the chair he stood on toppled over and fell, dragging him down with it. After crashing onto the wooden floor, he rubbed his aching head, repositioned his chair, and went back to work._

"_Need any help?"_

_The blonde turned into the direction of the young girl who waved sheepishly, slowly approaching him. He merely stared at her in complete awe, mesmerized by her exotic features. A faint blush crept onto his face, realizing the girl's close proximity, almost ready to lose his balance on the chair again._

"_Oh! I…uh…s-sure!" _

_She smiled at him while taking one of the extra cloths, soaking it in water, and wiping the board down from the other side. A comfortable silence was all that filled the air, allowing the children to get their work done. The sky grew darker, indicating it was time to leave. _

_The girl finished her section as she tightly squeezed the cloth of all the water residing within. _

"_Thanks for the help, you didn't have to do all that," the blonde uttered._

_She smiled warmly, "It's the least I could do. You saved me from Kazuo. I owe you one."_

_The children placed the empty buckets in the janitor's closet and headed out of the building._

"_Why did you do it?"_

_They halted their pacing, as the boy looked upon her face curiously._

"_I mean…why did you save me?"_

_This time, there was no smile, just an open countenance from the male._

"_I couldn't just let you get hurt like that. From inside the school, I noticed that you were by yourself, minding your own business. Those kids wouldn't leave you alone, and it annoyed me. Making fun of how look isn't right. I decided to teach that Kazuo-baka a lesson. No one deserves to suffer."_

_Someone as young as him knew the meaning of suffering?_

"_But they're right…I do look different. I stand out like a sore thumb."_

_He chuckled, "Different is good! You're unique! They're just jealous."_

_The girl paused with her mouth wide open, realizing the wise point he just stated._

_Filling in the silent gap, he spoke again, "I'm in your arts and crafts class. I guess you don't notice me since I sit in the very back of the room. We should be partners for our next project! I'm glad that I finally got a chance to talk to you, I've been meaning to do that for sometime."_

_An even more surprised expression formed on the girl's face._

_He sighed, "I should get going. My guardian is expecting me. Shouldn't you be leaving too?"_

_The girl nodded, somewhat solemnly thinking back to her home._

"_Before you go, I wanted to give you something," the boy's voice lowered dramatically._

_The girl watched him shuffle through his pockets and extend his arm out to her, holding an elegant yellow rose with deep red tips. It stood high from its long green stem, full of life. _

"_Just remember that we're one in the same, okay? I gotta go, Ja ne!"_

_She took the flower from him and observed it with astounding enchantment, asking him one last question before his departure._

"_I-I never got your name!"_

_He turned and grinned confidently, while ruffling his hair a bit._

"_Oh, me? That's easy! I'm Uzumaki Naruto, Konohagakure's future hokage! You're Sakura, Haruno Sakura, right? Let's be friends!"_

_A warm glow exuded from Sakura's smile as the two of them bid each other farewell, both excited to see where this new friendship would lead them._

…..

X

…

_Naruto…_his raspy, hyperactive voice crashingly rang in my ear. How simple childhood was! Who knew we would now be in this predicament?

"T-That DOBE!"

"Never heard that one before," Hidan joked.

My head sharply turned to face the man, "He really is, Hidan-san! That selfish Naruto-baka, how could he just leave us like that? What was the point? Look how weak he's become! I didn't expect this of him."

The hokage grabbed the letter from my hands and read its contents with an unreadable expression, maintaining it even after placing the document on the bed.

"Well, Tsunade-sama?"

She rolled her eyes with frustration while examining her polished nails, most likely trying to avoid the situation.

"Well _what_, Sakura?"

The woman's tone of voice began to vex me, "I'm asking you, as the hokage of our village, how to address the situation. Naruto is my friend. Please, I need you to bring him back."

She said nothing, and let the swish of the ceiling fan distract her thoughts.

"Onegai, Tsunade-sama! You don't realize how important Naruto is to me."

The hokage stood up, with her back facing Hidan-san and I, ready to leave the room.

"You know what? Forget my relationship with him, what about his significance to _you_? Why do you choose not to respond to me? Doesn't Naruto mean anything to you?"

Angrily, the blonde faced my questioning.

"Naruto means more to me than any of you could ever know. He's like the son I never had."

"Then why-"

Already anticipating my inquiry, she replied, "This boy deserves happiness, Sakura. He has too much to learn and cannot achieve it here in Konoha. Being confined behind these walls will teach him nothing. People continue to mistreat him and view him as an outsider. Outside experience will allow Naruto to grow stronger. It's not that he doesn't care; it's not that he's being selfish; this is what will help bring Naruto a step closer to achieve his ambition."

"But you're letting him go just like _that_? You knew someday this would happen, didn't you, Tsunade-sama?"

She nodded.

"I couldn't get in the way of his goals. While you've been locked up at home, you haven't realized what kind of life Naruto has led. He's old enough now; he can take care of himself. I believe he will be able to do great things."

My hazed expression continued to exasperate the woman.

"Enough of this. I don't want to hear anymore of what you have to say concerning Naruto. He's left his home, and I'm happy he made that decision. If he's moved on, we must do the same."

_How could I possibly move past this? It was all my fault, wasn't it? If only I didn't outright reject him like that, maybe he wouldn't have run away…_The same haunting memory infiltrated my mind, rolling back to the night of the royal wedding. He stood there with innocent hopes that I would affectionately embrace him and return his feelings. Was that the right thing to do? I would have been lying to him if we had married that night. It just didn't feel acceptable to love Naruto _that_ way.

But I couldn't let him walk away so easily either. He needed to know the truth. We needed to reconcile our friendship.

I said nothing more of the matter and allowed for Tsunade-san to continue to run her tests on me. She said my bleeding finally subsided, there were no infections from the deep wounds in my skin, and that I was ready to leave if I wanted.

"Shall I take you home, Sakura?" Hidan offered.

It was strange. I wanted more than anything to walk alone, side by side with him. However, once we arrived to our destination, he would leave me. I would be forced to stand alone against that miserable monster. There was no way I could endure any of that again. I didn't want to go back.

"Thank you for the kind offer Hidan-san, but, I would like to stay here a bit longer and learn lady Tsunade's medical techniques."

"If that's alright with you, hokage-sama," I asked the said person while turning my head to face her.

A familiar memory wrapped up my thoughts, regretting to ask her of the ridiculous request.

"You just woke up Sakura. I think you should continue to rest at home."

I said otherwise, "Tsunade-sama! I feel just fine. There's no pain, no exhaustion whatsoever. I've never been in a hospital environment before, it's really peaked my interest. Please, I want to learn from you."

"Gomen, Sakura. Today is a busy schedule for me. I have surgeries that need performing."

My head hung low in disappointment.

"But-"

This time, I raised it quickly with my ears perked, listening intently.

"Shizune is checking in on different patients. Why don't you shadow her and see what hospital life is like?"

I gasped in astonishment, "Really!"

Before she could respond, I jumped out of bed and excitedly thanked the woman.

"Lady Tsunade, you have no idea how much this means to me! There's so much I want to learn. Arigato!"

She bid me farewell and walked out, leaving me alone with Hidan-san.

"Hidan-san, thank you so very much for everything you've done. My own grandmother didn't even come to check up on me, not once. Shizune-san informed me that you were here sleeping by my bedside. You don't know how much I appreciate your kindness."

A gentle smile graced the man's lips. He advanced forward and placed both of his strong hands on my shoulders.

"Just know that whenever you need me, I'll be here," he assured while kissing my forehead softly.

"**You know maybe it's a good thing you're forehead is so wide. You've got a lot of room up there."**

Suddenly, I broke into a sweat, feeling the nerves and redness overcome me, _Kobato!_

"Wait a second, where will I find you?"

The man chuckled, "Everywhere. I've decided to temporarily remain in Konoha. I now have a purpose to be here."

And with that ambiguous statement, he left the room. My fingers traced the area of my forehead where he planted his affectionate embrace.

_He really kissed me, didn't he? _I mused, with my emerald eyes shining brightly.

"**He sure did, but, it's really bothering me how his name doesn't sound familiar, yet, his looks are so striking that I remember him from somewhere."**

Finally exiting the room and spotting Shizune, I decided to join her.

"Shizune-san!"

She turned, with her smile widening at the sight of me.

"Ohayo, Sakura-san. You look much better!"

Stretching my arms confirmed her assumption, "I certainly feel better. I feel so healthy that I want to walk around and observe what goes on around the hospital."

Her onyx eyes lit up in recognition of something, "Oh, that's right! Tsunade-sama informed me that you wanted to shadow me? Well come on then!"

The hospital was bustling full of people. Doctors, nurses, other administrators, and patients ran in and out of various rooms accomplishing their tasks. The walls were a ghostly white, and everything rushed past me so quickly. It was all a blur.

_No wonder people can't stand coming here._

"**I agree completely!"**

"So…Sakura-san, will you be attending tonight's festivities?"

My eyes motioned with bemusement, not familiar with what Shizune spoke of.

"Festivities?" I repeated.

"Hai. You must have been sleeping for too long to realize that it's cherry blossom season. Everyone's going out tonight! All shops and institutions will be closed, except for this hospital. The sick need care, so they'll have to stay here and rest."

"Ano, Shizune-san…how can the village go out and celebrate knowing there are really ill people, forced to remain in the hospital?"

She nodded in agreement, "This is true. The fact that it's cherry blossom season makes it all the more heartbreaking, but, life goes on. It's mandatory if they want to get better."

My thoughts were put aside when one of the nurses sprinted over and called for help.

"Oh, Shizune-san, there you are!"

Both of us turned to face a woman about Shizune-san's age dressed in a white short-sleeved lengthy, dress with the same colored hat adorning her dirty blonde locks.

"What's wrong, Ayaka?" the dark-haired woman asked, rather alarmed.

Ayake-san wiped down the sweat drops percolating from her forehead with the back of her hand.

"It's Inuzuka-san again. He keeps making a big fuss! The staff can't control him any longer; he's acting like a wild beast!"

Shizune rolled her eyes and followed after the other nurse, a cue for me to do the same. We paced quickly throughout the hospital until stopping in front of one of the doors at the end of the hall. Shizune briefly glanced at the medical forms attached to her clipboard and turned the knob, letting us in.

"Inuzuka-san, please, for Kami's sake, just take the damn shot!" one of the executive nurses commanded.

"Do as she says, or we will be forced to sedate you," a doctor advised.

In the midst of the uproar were a colossal group of the hospital staff members ranging from nurses, to physicians, to other types of medical specialists. One woman held between two fingers a needle, longer than a ruler, in front of a rough looking young man with sharp teeth and red markings on his face.

"I said get off me, damn _you_!" the patient cried.

What I noticed about the man's position disturbed me. The staff had him strapped to a metal board, but he fought hard, kicking and punching with every ounce he had left.

Shizune-san sighed, witnessing the scene before her, "Oh dear…this needs some major intervention."

I watched as the brave woman stood before the crowd, questioning the noncompliant individual.

"Why must you be so adamant? Take the injection already!" she bluntly ordered.

The usually kind and patient Shizune-san I had known for quite sometime demonstrated a different persona in front of us today. Who would have thought that she was capable of being so _callous_ and empathetic? Isn't medicine an entirely humanitarian profession? What about the ethics and morality involved? The way these people held Inuzuka-san down was barbaric. _They _were acting like wild beasts!

The patient, momentarily stopping his struggle, abruptly answered her question.

"How many freaking times do I have to explain this to you morons? Akamaru has some infection, or disease, or whatever you want to call it eating him alive. His behavior isn't the same. He isn't the same Akamaru I grew up with anymore! I've noticed he acts more like a wild wolf than a domesticated dog. He was violent. Akamaru almost mauled me to death. I barely escaped with a bite mark. My mother and sister called for the animal control department. He's asleep, been asleep for quite sometime now."

"Did Akamaru go out somewhere? Did you see any sign that might have indicated his abnormal condition?" Shizune followed up.

He pushed the arm of one of the nurse's away, who sneakily planned on injecting him of the mysterious fluid.

"One afternoon I sent Akamaru down by the river to do some hunting so we'd have a succulent, meaty lunch while I briefly met with a few ANBU blackop members concerning a mission I completed a few days prior around the same area. When they left, I checked to see what he was up to. Akamaru limped up the hill, bleeding heavily and told me of a black creature that pierced into his fur, giving him an infection."

_He talked to his dog? Is he a professional dog whisperer?_

"**Sakura-chan, haven't you heard anything about the Inuzuka clan? Canines are there primary animal companions, aiding them in missions. This must be the youngest clan member, Inuzuka Kiba. He looks like a canine himself too!"**

_Oh my…he seems quite rebellious._

"**It's a prominent trait of all Inuzuka clan members."**

"There weren't any woods nearby?" the hokage's well-informed assistant continued.

Kiba nodded, "No. Just plain grassland and some old, creepy shrine."

_Shrine?_

"**Hai. Kiba-san must be referring to Naka shrine. It's the only place I can think of sitting in the middle of empty grassland. I highly doubt that has anything to do with Akamaru's fatal wounds."**

_You never know…_

My thoughts ceased, hearing Shizune-san speak.

"Well then please inform us as to why you refuse to take this antidote, which will rid of whatever is infecting your bloodstream."

He snorted, "You crazy, woman? Akamaru is my bud. I want to go through what he's going through. You just don't understand how deep our friendship runs, how strong our brotherhood is. He'd do the same for me."

The unnerved woman clasped her head between her hands, trying to make sense of his statement, dropping her clipboard in the process.

"Kiba," she started slowly.

The said person gazed defiantly in her direction, with all other eyes staring at her perplexed and irritated expression.

"I'm going to say this only once, and I'm going to say it slowly, so that your pea brain can comprehend. Akamaru is an _animal_. A brainless, stupid _animal_. Kami-sama did not intend to instill intelligence in these creatures. They just feed off of each other and crap wherever they please! Why can't you understand! He would never do the same for you because he's not _capable _of it. Get that through your thick head!"

Kiba snarled and scratched the faces of the staff members who proceeded to inject him of the antidote.

"Get the hell off me!" he roared.

From the power in his voice, was a fiery inner strength challenging the opposition in the form of a forceful wind that impelled everyone to fly across the room, crashing onto the other side of the room.

"We can't get him to budge," a nurse whispered with chagrin to everyone around her, who nodded affably.

"That's it; I don't care what he says. Inuzuka Kiba, whether you like it or not, you're going to be treated and that's final!" shouted Shizune who demanded that everyone in the room hold him down, leaving me by the doorway.

"Sakura, you too," she gestured by nodding her head to walk over and join the group.

Instinctively, I stepped back, untrusting of the woman's method of treatment.

"What are you doing? Get over here. You want to be a good doctor, don't you?" she elaborated.

"Is this the only way?" I uttered, getting everyone's attention.

A spark of curiosity flickered in Kiba's eyes, dilating in anticipation of what would come next.

"What a ridiculous question." She stated incredulously.

I shook my head copiously, "How could you possibly think what I said is ridiculous, Shizune-san? What kind of practice do you plan on running later on in life? You're dehumanizing the medical profession!"

Kiba's body fell limp, with his eyelids growing heavier, almost shutting completely.

_What's going on! _

My question was answered, seeing a nurse throw a sleep dart onto his neck, using this as an advantage to inject Kiba with the antidote.

"That's great, Miki, just one more and Inuzuka-san should be falling into a deep slumber," Shizune encouraged.

Before they could release any more tranquilizers in the air, toward Kiba's feeble form, I darted across the room, standing in front of him. By the time I got there, the flying needle was already headed straight towards me.

"Sakura, get out of the way!" Shizune warned.

I blocked her voice out of my head, and allowed for my reflexes to communicate for me. They were the fastest they had ever been, saving both Kiba and I. Swiftly I side stepped and, with both my middle and index fingers of my right hand, I nimbly grabbed the unaffected rear of the dart and expeditiously changed its direction to the wall beside me. Immediately, I treaded forward and skillfully removed the dart implanted inside Kiba's neck.

Behind me were amused gasps.

"How did you do that?" Shizune questioned.

I shrugged my shoulders, "I don't know…I was just afraid for Kiba-san's wellbeing."

Her eyebrows furrowed in response to my statement, "_Afraid for his wellbeing_? Sakura, if you were at all concerned, then you wouldn't have interfered with our plans! You were my shadow; you were supposed to be doing what I asked of you."

It was the most intimidating experience I've ever been a part of. Majority of highly educated, professional hospital staff members were watching me argue against one of the most influential people in Konoha. Strangely enough, my intuition harped on acting justly and righteously. Whether or not I could convince Shizune-san, I needed to say what was truly on my mind.

"Compassion and humanity lie at the very heart and soul of medicine. It is a selfless profession, where the patient is the priority. Strapping that poor man down and forcing something he didn't want upon him. To me, that is cruel and animalistic behavior."

She narrowed her eyes with a look so undecipherable, that all I noticed was the endless dark mystery locking away any predictable moves or words for me to discover.

"You're a brave girl, standing up to me like this."

Our eyes clashed, emerald versus onyx.

"Courage is not only what it takes to stand up and speak. Courage is also what it takes to sit down and listen."

The sentence, without any thought, just came out of my mouth. Everyone here knew the meaning behind this statement. I listened to Kiba, and stood up for his beliefs. He was the patient, and had a say as to how _he _should be treated. No one can take that right from him.

And before the silence continued any longer, a flash of ethereal white light beamed across the room, almost blinding everyone's vision. People screamed and fled the room. Eventually, leaving only Shizune and I. There was not a hint of fear inside of me. The pure radiance twinkled brightly, hovering over the currently unconscious Kiba.

"**It can't be…"**

The proliferating shine spiraled downward, surrounding the out cold man, revealing a piece of crystallized glass. It took the shape of an elegant diamond, even more beautiful than Hidan-san's amaranthine jewels for eyes. It gravitated toward me. Seeing it do so, I opened the palms of my hands to accept the trinket, and watched it rotate slowly.

_It's beautiful…_

The light originally surrounding Kiba, receded. The kiss of the remaining breeze he felt from the entity stirred him awake. The young man rubbed his forehead and blinked a couple times, staring around the room in awe.

He smiled at me, but glared at Shizune-san.

"_Woman_, what do you want?"

Ignoring his strange outburst, she asked Kiba of his condition.

He placed his hand on the original area of his body where Akamaru's poisonous bite mark was located.

"Better…much better…"

We widened our eyes, wondering how such a miracle could have happened.

The Inuzuka grit his teeth, "You injected me with that damned antidote, didn't you!"

Shizune shook her head, "No! We never got a chance to. I swear to you that the needle did not touch your skin. Sakura didn't allow for this to happen."

He turned to me again, taking in each and every syllable of my name.

"Sakura…" he whispered.

Noticing that the patient was still tied down, I released him, allowing for his freedom.

Kiba walked towards me with a nostalgic expression, his pupils dilated as he got closer. We had never met before. Today was the first and only time.

"Shizune, please report to the front desk," the intercom sounded.

The said woman did as told, leaving Kiba and I.

He still held a dazed expression, trying to figure me out. Finally, at one point, something hit him.

"Haruno Sakura."

My eyes stared back into his fierce ones, as he took me by surprise, and knelt on the floor.

"You have demonstrated the virtue of courage, and in turn, released my soul from the crystallized purity shard. There are nine more individuals remaining. As a token of my gratitude, I will now aid you on your quest. You have my oath, as a member of the Entaku no Kishi."

_Entaku no Kishi? The Knights of the Round Table? How is this possible? What is going on here!"_

As each day of my life passed, I was growing more confused. This quest slowly seemed to be unraveling on its own. Before I could question him, Shizune walked back inside the room with a beaming countenance.

"Kiba, everything seems to be working in your favor today. Your sister is waiting in the lobby with an old pal of yours."

"Woof!"

At that sound, Kiba ran out of the doorway, not before winking at me one last time.

_Akamaru is alright?_

"**Their relationship must be so strong that the purity shard healed both Kiba and Akamaru in the process. I never knew it possessed that ability. Can you believe it, Sakura-chan? We got a shard! Our first shard! We are one step closer to healing your oba-san!"**

The possibility was no longer an impossibility. I began to feel as hopeful and as confident as ever now. Things were certainly working in my favor as well. The inner fireworks and celebrations ceased, watching Kakashi-san barge in the room with urgency evident in his only visible eye.

"K-Kakashi-san!" she said, startled by his presence, proving it difficult for her to suppress a heat-filled blush.

"It's Sasuke, he's losing his sight."

**Author's Note: **Oh gosh! What's gonna happen next? Guys, this chapter took me FOREVER to write. No joke. So if all of you could PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE REVIEW! I would reeeeeeealllly appreciate it! Make it a good amount, I want to know what you all thought of this chapter. If you have questions, post them in the review and I'll for sure answer them! By the way, see if you can guess the symbolism in the flashback earlier in the chapter. Post it in the review! Hopefully I'll update soon. I'm actually going to be spending the rest of my time studying for upcoming exams during the remainder of my break, so not sure about updating this week. Trust me, I will update. You know I won't let you guys down. On an even BETTER NOTE: I got into medical school! Woohoo! I feel more like Sakura now, I'll be able to practice my medical abilities, too bad there's no ninjutsu involved! I feel so happy, I'm 18 now so I'll get to finish med school pretty early! Well enjoy life everyone!

Love you guys!

Tootles!

~Sweetness


	17. Under the Owl's Watchful Eye

**Author's Note: **Hellooooooooo! Gosh you guys I am so sorry! It's been four months since I last updated! Forgive me! I had exams and all this schoolwork piling on. Now I'm on summer break, been on it since May 15th! It's a long one too; I won't be going back until October! So plenty of time to write! I was also being lazy. Hopefully with your reviews, it will keep me motivated and I promised I'd finish this story, so here we go!

Oh, ONE MORE THING! So I'm into this really cool thing where when there's a certain scene, I envision it with music playing in the background (courtesy of the amazing and talented authoress Angelhearted!) So when you get to the second part of the chapter when Sakura is in the woods, you will play this soundtrack:

watch?v=anCNbBNMs7Y

The part mentioned about someone singing, fast forward to 3:54 in the video. Try to read the entire scene _slowly_, if possible! Just to kind of keep the music matching with the words. I tried doing it, it was kind of hard since the video is like 6 minutes long! Anyway, FINALLY THIS NEXT AWAITED CHAPTER (please don't forget to write a nice, long, detailed review!)

**Chapter 17: Under the Owl's Watchful Eye**

Kakashi…brave man Kakashi stood apprehensively by the doorway, waiting for Shizune-san's orders. It was truly baffling to see a grown elite level jonin looking so _helpless_, almost as if he were a lost sheep.

Shizune-san herself did not expect this outcome, for she was rendered speechless. The background noise of the hasty hospital staff and rushed patients did not distract either one of us from the tragic news.

_Darkness…blackness…blindness…_

All synonyms for Sasuke's current condition. Without sight, how would it be possible for him to accomplish his long-awaited ambition? How would he be able to someday possess the rinnegan? I wanted to help him as much as I could.

"Take me to him," Shizune commanded.

In a flash, the two individuals standing before me ran out the room in the opposite direction. I followed suit, deeply concerned for Sasuke's wellbeing. He still felt like a stranger to me. We hadn't known each other for very long, yet, there was a strong connection binding us together.

And finally, we reached his room. Kakashi-san opened the door, revealing the young Uchiha resting peacefully on a twin-size hospital bed. There were no bodily movements, except for his still breathing. Sasuke's arms lay directly on either side of his body, with his eyes closed shut.

The three of us moved right beside him, with Shizune-san the closest to examine her patient. As I stood a little behind, I couldn't help but notice the emptiness of this room. There was no one here for the lone Uchiha but Kakashi-san. No other family members, no friends, no one. It was painful. Other patients' rooms were packed full of extended relatives, friends not even from Konoha, and acquaintances. Yet, for Sasuke, there was but one person. In that instance, it dawned upon me how even more similar we were. Oba-san, my only family, refused to see me and instead a man who I had met two or three times, Hidan-san, watched over my wellbeing.

At least there was someone who cared.

"Is he asleep?" I heard Shizune whisper to Kakashi-san.

"No."

She moved her hand to Sasuke's forehead and used her stethoscope to check for the regularity of his heartbeats.

"I realize this has nothing to do with Sasuke's eye sight, but, I wanted to make sure everything else was okay."

Kakashi nodded, anxiously waiting for the young physician to get to the crux of the problem.

"Sasuke…" she sibilated, anticipating a response.

The man's eyes fluttered open, but, there was not a single light of recognition shining within his onyx pupils and instead a frown lingered on his solemn countenance.

"Sasuke…?" Shizune repeated.

He grunted and shifted his body away from the source of the voice, adjusting the thick covers and placing them over his head, wanting to be left alone.

"**He doesn't seem to be in a very good mood…"**

I merely nodded, agreeing with Kobato-chan's statement. Then again, who would be after experiencing the loss of his or her sight? It's one of the most important senses for human beings, to be able to take in the beauty of the world around us. Although with a kind of guy like Uchiha Sasuke, it made me wonder if he cared about anything other than his own goals.

Kakashi-san and I turned to Shizune, wondering what her next move would be.

"This one's a bit stubborn…" she observed.

The woman reached into one of her deeper coat pockets, revealing one of her doctoring instruments. She moved about the room and bent down to Sasuke's level, his dark head still covered with the bed sheets. She slowly uncovered the patient, revealing untamed raven locks. Shizune-san lightly tapped the man's head with her index finger, checking for his response.

Nothing.

"Sasuke. up. now." she clipped.

The Uchiha lay frozen, with his position unmoved.

Slowly, the woman's patience began to thin. A once calm façade had now exhausted, leaving an unforbearing expression.

_Dear Kami, please don't allow Shizune-san to act the same way she did towards Kiba. Please…please don't mistreat Sasuke in any way…_

Impetuously, she stood and called one of her assistants who agilely entered the room.

"Keiko, I want you to help me move my patient facing the ceiling, lying on his back."

"Hai," the tawny-haired maiden complied.

As the two medical specialists proceeded to reposition him, the disturbance became evident on Sasuke's face as he continued to keep his eyes shut.

"Gently, Keiko…" Shizune warned.

The young woman nodded as they rotated the man fully, now with his face looking towards the ceiling.

"Sasuke…" she whispered yet again.

Haltingly, the raven-haired shinobi responded by tilting his head towards the source of the voice. He wasn't by nature a talkative person, but, his actions seemed positive. At least he gave her _some indication_ of his attentiveness.

Shizune knelt down, at her patient's level, once more.

"Sasuke, do this last thing for me and I promise I won't bother you anymore. Open your eyes so I can observe what state they're in."

As if she predicted him to follow her orders, Shizune-san removed an ophthalmoscope from her white coat pocket while hovering the instrument in front of his deep dark orbs, hidden behind the Uchiha's long-lashed coated eyelids.

From my peripheral vision, I noticed that one of Sasuke's eyes cracked open, and soon, the pair of onyx orbs was now gaping at his ebony-haired caretaker. Before the woman could bend over and examine what she wanted to in the first place, I sensed a menacing aura present in the room.

"**Sakura-chan, do you feel that?"**

_Hai, Kobato-chan! I-_

Our conversation was soon disconnected by a penetrative gasp coming from none other than Shizune-san, stepping back apprehensively. The more she continued to stare into his eyes, the longer she coagulated in fear.

"Shizune-san…?" the assistant questioned, taking note of her supervisor's strange change in behavior.

The said woman shook extensively and stumbled backwards. Kakashi-san thankfully caught her fall, and held her rattled self in his arms protectively. While observing the two individuals, Keiko-san grinned uncontrollably, witnessing the scene. Clearly, everyone was aware of the dark-haired woman's romantic sentiments towards the masked man. I wanted to discover more about him. He seemed so…_secretive_ with his face masked away from the world. Supposedly, Hatake Kakashi-san is one of the most handsome men anyone has ever seen, and that, his adonic beauty is so _alluring_ that he must be shielded away from the tantalizing gazes of others. Rumor also has it that he is the reincarnation of a wicked spirit, whose sole purpose is to curse those around him. Villagers speculate that behind Kakashi-san's mask, are jagged fangs or various silly superstitions of the like. They say that at night, he watches over people as they sleep, and preys after them.

I find the latter to be utterly ridiculous and irrational! Kakashi-san is completely harmless. How can someone explain his concern for Shizune? No 'demon', or whatever other people consider him to be, would do such a thing! The man does not seek to do any harm, but, to ensure the security of another.

My legs carried over my wobbling form, closer to the miserable Uchiha, traumatizing poor Shizune-san.

"Everything will be alright…" Kakashi murmured softly.

As I stepped forward, now about a foot away from the hospital bed, Sasuke turned his threatening stare away from the couple and kept his eyes on me. At one moment, there was a color wheel displaying dark shades of red, and the next, turned to a royal purple with smaller black emblems spinning wildly within the man's orbs.

"S-Sasuke…?" I uttered carefully.

He sat up from his bed, holding intense eye contact. No longer could I resist him. His scrutiny trapped me in place.

"Sakura, move! He's dangerous!" Kakashi warned.

_C'mon Sakura girl…you can do it…you can move! Just rid of the fear in your mind. Then calmly-_

My comforting thoughts could not soothe the latent anxiety dormant in the back of my mind. It was a failed attempt, especially, after witnessing the strange scene unfolding just before my alarmed emerald eyes. The warm feeling radiating from my heart escaped into the exterior world. Silver light emanated, first in the form of sparkling fairy dust to bold beams of bright color.

_What's happening?_

"**Sakura-chan, the shard!" **Kobato warned.

Briefly, I turned my attention to the center of the room where the light gathered, shaping into a crystallized jewel. It was my possession, it belonged to _me_. I needed it back in my hands to fulfill this mission! Just why was it heading towards the unseeing Uchiha?

We were astonished by his abrupt action, stepping out of bed like that, able to stand on his own two feet with ease. Sasuke moved forward, peering at me critically while opening his mouth, only to speak foreign tongue.

Every syllable uttered held a cryptic meaning, I was almost positive of that. The Uchiha's words were fast paced, yet, grandiose and eloquent. Unlike Sasuke's seemingly quiet and brooding demeanor, his persona at the moment changed. One thing that struck me to be peculiar was the way he prolonged all of his vowels. It was definitely one of the ancient forms of Japanese spoken here in Konoha long ago. Although the language did not make sense to me, his mannerisms indicated perfectly of his hostility. The man edged closer towards me, while I stepped back. A smirk appeared just as he raised the palm of his hand in front of my face. However, the expression displayed on Sasuke's countenance was not harmless this time. I sensed an ulterior motive hidden within.

His voice, haunting and dark, sent shivers down my spine. An overpowering shadow released itself after he performed a series of hand movements, circling my frozen form.

"**Sakura-chan!" **the dove cried.

My thoughts ceased, for I was too afraid for my life. How was I to escape this situation?

"Sasuke, stop it!" Kakashi-san roared.

The said man's mind was too focused on me at the moment to listen to his mentor's pleas.

The shadow finally grew in size.

_Oh no! Kami-sama, what now!_

Immediately, appearing straight from thin air, was Kakashi-san. He stood proudly; ready to defend me against the deadly Uchiha.

"I don't want to have to do this, Sasuke. Stop it now, or else."

"I know you can exert your control, we've been working on this since you were a child. Come on, Sasuke…believe," the mysterious metallic-maned man added.

With a maniacal laugh, the raven-haired pupil tilted his head to the side, with a sly smile. His black irises dilated widely, and soon with a crack of his knuckles, sent Kakashi-san flying across the room and crashing against the different equipment used for procedures.

"Hatake-san!" Keiko panicked, running to his side instantaneously.

Prepared to aid the man, I stepped forward, only to feel an excruciating amount of pain shock my muscles. It hurt so much that my body could not allow for any movement, and instead, I fell back onto the floor hopeless.

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

We were all surprised to find that the black fog surrounding me began to diffuse inside my body, causing the unfortunate infliction. After letting out an ear-piercing wail, I noticed from my peripheral vision that the light shining from the crystal shard grew stronger.

As if my mind weren't present, I slowly raised my hand towards the source of the light. A warm tingling sensation touched the tips of my fingers. A strong energy source was present within me, forming strange symbols on the palms of my hands and soles of my feet. My eyes shut, and I concentrated fervently on this internal mystic aura. The harder I focused, the more-

"**Sakura-chan!"**

_Do not lose focus…do not lose focus…_

"**Sakura-chan, the shard! Look at it! It's moving closer toward you!"**

One emerald eye opened slightly, witnessing the tables turning.

_How is it doing that?_

"**You are slowly discovering how to use chakra!"**

_Chakra…? _ Indeed I've heard of the term, but, I always thought shinobi were the only beings that possess it.

"**And that's where you should be doing more research, Sakura-chan! Chakra is the molding of the physical energy present in every cell of the body and the spiritual energy gained from exercise and experience. Once molded, it can be channeled through the chakra circulatory system, which is to chakra as the regular circulatory system is to blood, to any of the 361 chakra points in the body. Right now, your hardships with your oba-san and family history have provided you with negative experiences. All of this dark energy is being channeled in the form of abundance of this chakra within you. Your meditation, I'm sure you know, is a form of exercise which is how you were able to direct the shard toward you. Now as you grow older, the more you will be able to master chakra control. Although, I must say, for a civilian girl like you, it takes years of training to accomplish what you have just done. You should feel proud of yourself."**

And as a matter of fact, I was! My confidence was now restored, ready to stand against Uchiha Sasuke. Speaking of which, the individual spoken of rotated his eyes like a spinning wheel, and immediately shut them. That voice was nothing similar to the charming, velvety intonation belonging to the stoic Uchiha. Before I could muse further on the subject, Kobato-chan interrupted my thoughts.

"**Sakura-chan, be careful! That _demon_ is trying to take over your body and make you one of his slaves!"**

_Sasuke's not a demon! I know he isn't!_

"**Then you should know that this isn't like him to act this way. How is he able to see properly if he's in the process of losing his sight? He wouldn't attack you, he's confided in you!"**

I turned to face Sasuke, hoping I could get through to him in some way. The smug facial expression remained, and soon, I found my vision becoming hazy. Eventually my knees shook and gave out, no longer able to hold my body weight.

"Sasuke…"

"Hn," was the self-assured response.

My throat became scratchy and dry, barely capable of speaking any coherent words.

"S-Sas…"

And before I could finish uttering his name my head landed on the cold, hard ground.

**~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~**

No longer was I stuck in the stuffy hospital environment, but, in an obscure, wooded area.

_Is this a dream?_

"It is _my _reality and _your_ nightmare, child…" a frightening laughter sounded behind the misty darkness, concealing this unknown territory.

Just then, that statement sent cold chills throughout my insides.

"H-Hello…?"

Every simple noise made during my jaunt throughout the land was hollow sounds, echoing loudly around me.

_Don't draw any attention to yourself! _

That proved to be the most difficult, since the world around me was completely dead and as far as I knew, I was the only living organism capable of moving around this unearthly place. While meandering aimlessly, my eyes observed the natural surroundings. The barks of the trees were pitch black. They stood tall and mighty without any leaves. Boulders and razor-sharp rocks enclosed the premises, many as large as tombstones.

_Where am I? I don't like this place one bit!_

Nothing but pure silence, as I had hoped someone would hear me.

_Kobato-chan, you know everything about everything! Please…tell me where I am!_

No reply while my fear began to overtake me hysterically.

_You silly dobato, why won't you answer me? You're my guardian, remember? At least give me a hint, please! I'm freaking out here! I'm all ALONE!"_

"Hoooooooo!"

My ears perked up at the sound, immediately turning my head to the right. When I did, the sound of flapping headed towards some other direction.

_I can't even see any-AHH!_

And I fell face forward, tripping over a tree root.

_Stupid tree…stupid creepy place!_

"Hoooooooo!" the source of the mysterious sound called again.

Carefully, I pulled myself back up, staring into the all seeing eyes of an owl; a purely black abyss within its critical pupils. The creature's light gray head rotated three hundred and sixty degrees, while keeping its darker shaded body in place. The enigmatic bird regarded me while curving its coal colored beak upward, a possible signal to come closer.

So I did.

And once my right foot stepped forward, it hooted again, and flew westward. It paused every two or three tree branches, waiting for me to catch up. When I finally met the creature, we continued forward. After reaching a certain point in the dark forest, an ethereal melody could be heard in the distance. This time, the heavenly music was not carried through the sweet tweets and chirps of an elegant bird, but a young woman.

"Hoooooooooo!" The owl shrieked, turning its head yet again, signaling for me to move faster. The direction where the voice came from was _exactly_ where it led me.

It sped up, and when it did, a shroud of mist clouded my vision.

_Oh no, this can't be happening!_

"H-Hello?" I questioned meekly.

Blindly, I moved ahead, hoping the situation would turn up. I paused briefly, listening for the woman's voice, hoping I could rely without sight. Keeping my arms stretched out so I didn't bump into anything, I trudged forward.

_Slowly…careful-_

"Caw-caw, caw-caw!"

I halted my pace.

_Owls don't make that sound…they can't make that sound…it sounds like…_

"Caw-caw, caw-caw!"

_A raven…_

Immediately, I raised my head and searched the hazy skies for the animal. After a few minutes, a shadow pierced through the fog and flew straight towards me. The raven thrashed its wings violently and screeched, calling more of its kind. Soon, I realized it to be an ambush.

Right then and there, I took off, desperately searching for a way out. These creatures were gaining on me, and I progressively fought my way forward.

_Run…run…run!_

I did as my mind commanded, and pushed past my limits. After reaching a certain point, I halted realizing if I had gone any further, I would have fallen into a swamp. The humidity and excess fog indicated so. My breaths grew quicker after noticing the shadows coming closer.

"Caw-caw, caw-caw!" the black demons called harshly.

Placing my hand over my heart, the "lub-dub" sensation within became more apparent as time passed.

"Hoooooooo!"

I turned my head to face the owl, sitting atop a branch next to me while nodding its head in the opposite direction.

_Thank Kami you're back! _

My peripheral sight took note of a set of vines hanging around, across the swamp. When approaching the first one, the ravens gradually surrounded me. The owl glided past me and stared right through each and every one of them. With one look, the ravens froze over like life size sculptures. Hurriedly, my companion soared ahead, over the swamp, waiting for me on a thinly built twig.

_It seems to be serving as some sort of guide._

Temporarily, I observed the vines, thick enough for me to grasp and support my weight. Using my upper body strength, I pulled myself up and swung from side to side atop the swamp. The profusion of the fog made it difficult to see what was below.

_God knows what's down there…better not take the chance and find out!_

Utilizing my muscles, I held onto the vine tightly and, making sure there was enough momentum, I swung forward and immediately took hold of the next vine.

_You reeeeeeeally need to get yourself in shape!_

In about forty-five minutes, I was able to accomplish the task. Safely, I landed on the ground and met eyes with the omniscient owl.

_Thank Kami for dry land!_

"Let's go," I said to my ally while it was already on the move.

The alluring voice of the young woman dragged me further into the woods, determined to find this enchanting being. During the quiet journey, I noticed movement to the far right. A figure sprinted past the trees while performing talented acrobatic stunts. I snuck a peek at the owl, still flying ahead, and changed direction. Hopefully, he or she didn't notice me following. Eventually the person stopped in an area filled with wooden posts. They stretched their muscles and stealthily retrieved weapons from their pouch, throwing shuriken at each of the targets. The silhouettes of the trees darkened the area, including this individual. There came a point when I heard the voice, and it was much too familiar and nostalgic for me to comprehend.

"Kage bunshin no jutsu!"

_Loud…rowdy…childish…boisterous…jubilant…extroverted…_

Myriads of clones appeared and the original user fought the rest with shuriken.

_Wait a second…_

Without any hesitation, I jumped out of the shadows and stepped in the middle of the scene. When I did, the clones disappeared.

"Whose there!" the rambunctious being demanded.

He moved about the territory, and soon, treaded into a patch of light. He was now revealed and my worries washed away.

"Naruto!"

Those familiar blue eyes of his glistened in the light, realizing my presence.

"Sakura…?"

I nodded joyfully, skipping toward him.

"Yes, it's me! Naruto, where have you been? I've missed you so much!"

And I took the opportunity to embrace him fully. However, the blonde distanced himself.

"Yup…I'm back…"

"Is something wrong?" I asked concernedly.

He narrowed his eyes, "No."

I lent my hand to him, "Well then…if there isn't…come home with me. We've all missed you terribly. You don't know how many search parties have been sent for you. I can't wait to see everyone's faces once you've returned home!"

My friend moved his hand behind him.

"Stay away from me; I never want to go back!"

The response was not as I had expected, and instead, my eyes widened.

"W-What do you mean? Konoha is your _home_. You have to return. We're your family, Naruto! I got your letter recently. You said you miss everyone, especially, me. I came here all this way to bring you back. Please let's just go already!"

The young man stood bearing his teeth,"_You _broke my heart, and now you have the audacity to beg me to come back home?"

Silence.

Naruto started again, "You've scarred me for life, look what you've done, _Sakura_."

The way he spoke my name…was just…_inconceivable_. It was utterly full of disdain and hate. There was no warmth or endearment, as shown, avoiding the suffix –chan. It wasn't the same. Naruto was never one to be so embittered and spiteful. He was always so clean, so pure of heart. No matter how wronged he may have been by another, he simply forgave and moved on with his life, to better himself.

His features grew more feral as moments passed. Naruto's eyes shown blood red with anger and rage, directing his gaze at me. His usually pearly white teeth took shape into a wild creature's carnivorous fangs. Blonde hair gradually turned to medium brown, and his normally clean cut fingernails lengthened into vicious claws.

My jaw dropped, eyes radiating abhorrence, dreading Naruto's new form.

"Your eyes…" he started.

"So full of _hate_…" the beast finished huskily.

_Kami, he's turned into a monster! Help Naruto, please! Onegai, save my friend!_

"N-No!" I answered unwittingly.

"The same look I receive everyday from the villagers, who you say are supposed to be my _family_."

He began to close the distance between us.

"The same look you gave me after being rejected that night."

Although afraid, I remained in place, hoping that some way I could get through to him.

"I loved you!"

Tears cascaded down my sultry skin, "I-I know, and, I-"

"But now, I see that you're no better than your grandmother, unable to feel love for another human being."

_Naruto…_

He could never understand. I _wanted_ to love him, yet, I couldn't. It just wasn't possible; too many complications and too many hardships to endure. Love was heartbreaking, and the more I thought about it, the better off I would be without it. My existence forbids me to love another soul. Naruto's comparison of me to my oba-san may end up soon becoming a reality. Though, part of me…no…_all_ of me wishes to remain the same Haruno Sakura as I am now, to be thoroughly content for the rest of my life.

"Naruto-kun…gomen nasai, for leaving you that night. I-I didn't know how to deal with your feelings for me, and, I was afraid to tell you the truth. So I ran like a coward instead. I cannot marry you, because, I can't make you happy. As a longtime friend of yours, please forgive me so that in some way I can atone for my mistake."

He cupped my face into his solid hands, as I forced myself not to flee.

Naruto's demonic energy amplified, and his eyes blackened.

"Give it to me, _child_…" he threatened.

My heart skipped a thousand beats, "N-Naruto…?"

That certainly was not his voice. It was indeed deep, and, scratchy in sound.

"The shard, _dobato_…return it to me! Hand me the treasure that is rightfully _mine_!" he sharply replied.

This was a complete façade. The real Naruto would never ever act like this; I knew that deep in my heart. Black flames consumed the image thought of to be my friend. Imposing, satanic wings replaced muscular arms. 'Naruto' began to transform entirely. Before I could witness this entity's true form, a shadow enveloped us both.

It scooped me up into its talons while thrashing its wings violently; making sure everything in the surrounding area assaulted the beast altering its form. It screamed in sheer agony, and soon, vanished, leaving the following words behind:

"You can never escape me, _dobato_. You will soon be _mine_…"

I was unaffected by the statement, too occupied with my current position, being carried by another winged creature. Its talons gripped onto my back as I lay limp, staring beneath me.

_It's not going to eat me, is it?_

"Silly girl, of course not!" A highly feminine voice asserted.

The creature had lowered itself to the ground, dropping me on a soft patch of lush greenery. Where I was, the natural beauty was completely surreal; too dream-like for human eyes to imagine. A secluded meadow in the middle of this haunted forest. Mist concealed the land, providing an ethereal glow to the location. The trees were covered with sparkling, emerald colored leaves. About ten paces north was a pond, with a crystal-clear surface, adorned with cherry blossom petals and crystalline stones resting on the bottom. Catching sight of someone hidden within the nebulous haze, I walked forward.

"Ohayo! Anyone there?" I called, feeling somewhat safer here.

I stopped and watched two feet pitter patter along the grassy path toward me. Before I knew it, a delicate hand reached through the murkiness for mine. When our hands touched, we intertwined our fingers as she finally stepped out, allowing our eyes to meet. Needless to say, she was _beautiful_. Whether this young woman was naturally this light colored or myself unable to properly see what she looked like because of the fog was beyond me. She possessed shimmering pearl-like hair cascading elegantly from the top of her heart-shaped face, reaching down to her waist and lilac irises coloring her cat-like orbs for eyes. Her voluptuous, immaculate gown accentuated the maiden's petite waist and dainty curves. A heavenly radiance exuded from the woman as she arched her rose-tinged lips, gracing me with a delightful smile.

To break the awkward silence, I initiated the conversation.

"Ano…were you the one singing earlier?"

She nodded lithely, "Hai…and it looks like my friend led you to me perfectly."

My eyes followed her gaze to the creature behind me, that statuesque, winged beast. Its onyx eyes observed me with interest, detruding its ashen-feathered head.

"Hooooooooo!"

_The owl! How did he get so huge?_

"He is neither conniving nor ill-willed like those ravens. We depend only on each other, I trust him with my life."

"An animal friend?" I questioned, deeming it very relatable to my own life.

She cast a bashful look below her, "I know it seems silly, but-"

"Oh no! There's no need to feel that way, I have a very reliable friend too, and she's a truly beautiful creature. I'm so thankful to have her around…"

The young woman's amaranthine orbs twinkled brightly after hearing my reply.

"You are Haruno Sakura, are you not?"

My mind became frazzled at the thought of a stranger knowing my identity.

"I am."

Her eyes continued to regard me with sheer kindness and sincerity.

"May I ask who you are?"

She bit her lower lip, momentarily shutting her violaceous jewels, and reopened them with a befuddled look.

"I…I don't know…"

My eyes merely blinked in response.

"Pardon…?"

She shrugged her bare shoulders, "I have no idea. I'm trying to figure that out for myself."

"Oh…" was all I could say.

"Do you have any idea where I am? I don't know how I got here…" I carried on.

She briefly eyed her surroundings and looked at me once more.

"In a dark realm of sorts…" she observed.

_I get the feeling she has no clue where we are either…great…_

"In all of my existence…this is all I have ever known. It is…my home."

My eyes augmented, "You mean…you don't recall ever having a family?"

To which she nodded.

"No parents?"

Same response.

"No one…?"

Nothing.

"_He_ is all I have. He is my family…" the young woman explained while lending out her arm to her feathered companion, who shrunk back to its original size, and stood perched on her for support.

"You look distraught, young one," she adverted.

"Oh no, I promise you…I'm fine, really!" I fibbed, plastering an artificial smile on my clearly worried face.

"You seem to be worried about someone…" she speculated.

I couldn't hide what showed on my face, and, elaborated.

"I am. Many people to be exact…my grandmother…my friends…a young man who I just recently came to know, who has some how gained my trust…"

To which she tilted her head suspiciously, "Trust? You said you just met him."

I sighed, placing my hands comfortably on my lap, "Hai, this is true…but…I trust him because he trusts me…"

"And how can he trust you so suddenly if you two hardly know each other?"

My head shot up immediately, "He has confided in me. So far the few times we've spoken, we've been able to communicate quite openly with each other. He's told me of his past, his ambitions, and other things. He said himself that he _trusts_ me."

She nodded, completely disagreeing, "This is something you must comprehend, young one. Trust is built through experience. The relationship you two share appears to me as a simple acquaintanceship. Trust is rooted within either a deep platonic, familial, or romantic love. I sense none of that here. Please understand this. I have the experience to prove my statement. This owl you see by my side has been with me through the thick and thin, protecting me with his supernatural abilities. He and I trust no one here. This realm is dangerous. I call it home because I have something here which I really love and trust. Where my companion is, my heart lies with him. Your bond with this man you speak of is superficial, no foundation built. If you _really _want to build trust in your relationship with him, then, you must develop an unfathomable connection between your souls. If I were you, I wouldn't trust a thing he says. You cannot trust someone you hardly know."

She had a point.

_Is Sasuke only leading me on? For some cruel game of his? Should I give him anymore chances?_

I wish I had all the answers.

Before I knew it, all of the pure energy within me diffused into the outside world. Shimmering lights, taking form into a bird's beak. It shared a striking resemblance to a dove. The shard rotated majestically above the two of us, soon spiraling out of control.

My body rose, hoping the treasure would return to me.

"Sakura-chan, what is that…?" the young woman inquired, staring at the glass piece in awe.

"It's something _really_ important to me. I need it for my grandmother," I clarified, hopping up and down childishly, silently anticipating the shard's hopeful return to me.

"Perhaps I can be of assistance," she comforted while standing on her two feet, and directly below the prized item.

The alabaster haired female merely gazed upon the beauty displayed before her.

"Oh Kami, it's beautiful, Sakura-chan! No wonder you want it back so quickly!"

_No duh…_

With her presence, the shard's light grew stronger, eclipsing the surrounding area in pure brilliance.

"Sakura-chan!" was the last I heard before the world around me became sullen and colorless.

**~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~**

_Tap._

_No answer._

_He taps once more._

"_Oi, Ritoru Misu-chan, you in there?"_

_The young man steps inside, shedding off most of his clothing, due to the hot weather. Sunagakure was never this pleasant in the middle of summer. It didn't help that the villagers never installed air conditioning inside their homes. _

"_Misu-chan!" he calls again._

"_In here, Ebi-san," a soft voice notifies him._

_Walking out of the kitchen, an adolescent girl regards the young man kindly. With her, she brings steamed fish and rice along with a side of boiled vegetables. Her mulberry locks tied back into an old-fashioned braid, her look finished with a simple pale-colored kimono, with an apron overtop, indicating the young girl's position in the kitchen._

_He wolfs it down and looks at the left over crumbs disappointingly._

"_Is this all we have imouto-chan?" the lad questions._

"_Hai, gomen, oniisan. There is nothing left in the outdoor bazaars, and I woke up early this morning!"_

_He chuckles and approaches her._

"_Not to worry, little one."_

"_Brother, when will mother and father return? It's been nearly two weeks now! I miss them dearly…"_

_The young man places his hand on her cheek gingerly, "Soon, sweet Misu-chan. I know Konoha is far, but think about it this way, the longer tou-san and kaa-san take, the more gifts they will have for us when they return!"_

_She smiled at the thought of delicious pastries, treasured jewels, and priceless souvenirs. _

"_When they come, they come. For now, let us enjoy our time together. Come, the village elder has something to tell us citizens. He said it was urgent."_

"_Do you promise me they'll return safe and sound?" she whispers._

_He chuckles lightly, "You have my word, Misu-chan."_

_The girl untied her apron and exited the house with her older brother. Together, they endured the sultry weather and wild sandstorms affecting the area for a short amount of time. They never lasted very long, thankfully. Soon they reached a grand hall, capable of holding the entire Sunagakure population, and mingled with the others until the elder appeared in front to deliver his important message._

"_My children…" he started, desiring to halt the commotion._

"_I fear the days of prosperity of our beloved village will soon come to an end."_

_And with that were gasps and murmurs amongst the crowd._

"_Silence!"_

_They did as they were told._

"_This season has made it difficult for us to endure such a harsh environment. As many of you have noticed, there is a scarcity of food. Supplies are running short. Our irrigation systems are failing, thus, prohibiting the growth of our crops we sell to other villages. Our way of life is being threatened. Poverty has drastically increased due to our failing economy. For the past decade, Sunagakure has been vulnerable to attacks by other villages, who were sworn to be our brothers. Crime has skyrocketed because of our miserable state. Where we live, is no longer a paradise."_

_The girl sat still, absorbing the elder's tragic words. She looked to her brother for some sort of answer, anything that would console her. Yet, he was just as worried as she was. _

"_I have advised the Kazekage to seek help, and what we received in return, does not look promising to many here. We have been peaceful souls since the founding of this village, and now, all of our men have been signed to aid the other countries in battle. My sons, you shall serve as mercenaries. The wealth you bring will help our village to prosper."_

_Jaws dropped open. Mothers, wives, sisters, and children cried. Fathers, husbands and brothers grieved. _

"_Konoha is in the middle of a war, a violent, civil war. It is chaotic and destroying their village. The people have gone mad. It is our duty to help. The decision made by our Kazekage is final, they own us. He signed a contract."_

_Thirteen years old was indeed old enough for the blooming young woman to understand what would soon become of her brother. Her insides twisted uncomfortably, nervous and anxious for what would happen next. A strong hand grasped hers. She gazed upwards, meeting her brother's determined hazel eyes. _

"_Starting tomorrow morning, Konoha's military will round up every man in Sunagakure, travel to different territories and begin many long weeks of training. From there, they will be off to war. Get a good night sleep, everyone. We will all make it through this, believe me."_

_Everyone dispersed silently. The siblings trudged back to their home, thoughts filled with what information had been relayed to them today. As they walked, the girl noticed a middle-aged woman, bent over outside a shrine. She slowly raised her head while chanting prayers and hung wooden totems on the poles for good luck._

"_Kami-sama…give me hope…save us all…"_

_She gazed upwards and kissed the skies, restoring her once dwindling hope._

"_I have faith…" she assured herself._

_Time passed quickly, much to the girl's dismay. Daybreak had finally arrived. She was never up as early as five in the morning, but she wanted to see her brother before he left for who knows how long. A loud pang could be heard right outside the front door. She rushed to answer it, but her brother beat her to the punch._

"_You ready?" A callous voice asked the pensive young man._

_He nodded, "I am."_

"_Then let's get going,"_

"_Right-"_

"_Matte!" the girl called._

_Her brother turned his head to her, "What is it, Misu-chan?"_

_She gazed upon his emotionless face with tears, "I-I'll miss you…"_

_And he smiled empathetically, "And I will miss you…"_

_Ebi-san unlatched a golden chain from around his head with the symbol of Sunagakure, and placed it onto his beloved sister._

"_Tou-san gave this to me on my sixteenth birthday. It's real gold, always keep it close to you and think of me whenever you look at it, okay? Father gave it to me at an important stage in my life, when I was slowly learning what it was like to become a man. To become independent, and take on certain responsibilities. It is now your time to do the same, Misu-chan. All your life, you listened and were obedient and respectful to those around you. Now you make your own decisions, and grow. Discover yourself while I'm gone. When I come back, you will certainly change, but for the better."_

"_You will bring them back home, won't you nee-san?"_

_To that he paused, registering what she had just asked him._

"_Tou-san and Kaa-san? They will be home soon, right?"_

_He bent down to her level._

"_Do you trust me misu-chan?"_

_She didn't even have to think about her answer, "Hai!"_

"_Then they'll be back home before you know it."_

_She held onto the charm dangling from the center of the chain tightly, wistfully smiling at the young man who now planted a sweet kiss on her broad forehead. _

"_You'll grow into it soon," he winked._

"_You coming or not, kid?" the Konohagakure official impatiently questioned._

_And with that signal, Ebi-san said the last of his goodbyes, and went on his journey. Young misu-chan knew there was a lot that needed to be done before her family returned to her. So she decided to help herself grow, spiritually that is. Passing by all the women who weeped would not help their cause, it would exacerbate the situation. She ran a few blocks down, and entered the village shrine, held dear by the entire Sunagakure community. Ebi-san would soon be out in the real world, experiencing life as it is. She, however, would take an intrinsic journey and learn about herself. _

_The chimes echoing throughout the shrine, indicated to those inside that someone had arrived._

"_Why are you here, child?" an elderly woman asked._

"_To be strong," she responded, clutching the golden charm close to her heart._

**~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~**

I gasped, in need of fresh air, and ended up getting a whiff of the dingy hospital scent.

_Was it all a dream?_

But it felt so _real!_

Looking around me, everything seemed to be normal. Although, no one else appeared to be in sight.

Perhaps they left?

As I moved, it felt like my entire body was asleep, not able to feel any sort of sensation in my nerves. Surprisingly, I could lift my aching head. Then I noticed myself lying comfortably on a couch.

_I don't remember being on a couch…_

Soon, my legs were relieved of the peculiar feeling, and I could move them. Wanting to stand completely and look for the others, I proceeded to rise, only to be held back from my left hand. Looking in that direction, with my hand able to feel the touch of another, I was surprised to see Uchiha Sasuke asleep on a hospital bed next to me, holding my hand to his beating heart.

**Author's Note: **END OF CHAPPIE! OH MY GOSH! You guys have no idea how long it took me to complete this! I didn't want to delay the update any longer so I just sucked it up and wrote! It's almost 2:30 in the morning. I'm tired! Hope you guys reeeeeeeeally enjoyed this chapter! Any thoughts about that girl? The owl? The 'realm' Sakura was lost in? What about that little anecdote towards the end? Interesting, isn't it? Well I won't say anymore, because I don't want to risk spoiling anything for my awesome readers! SO please do me a favor and reward my hard work with plenty of REVIEWS! I would reeeeeeeeally appreciate! Like I said, the more reviews, the more updates you will receive. Next chapter should be out soon. Keeping enjoying your summer! Feel free to message me if you'd like!

Tootles,

~Sweetness

PS: The term _Ritoru Misu _means "Little Miss". It's a nickname for this girl, just in case you were too lazy to look it up! As you can tell, she was really sweet and obedient and kind, which is why she was deserving of the title.


	18. Wish Upon a Star

**Author's Note: **Hello! Hope you all enjoyed the last chapter, but disappointingly, I only received three reviews. Thank you to the following: **cutecookiechick, the doggydog2, and TheBloodyLoveOfSakuraHaruno. **Thank you so much for your support! Please, it would really make my day if more of you reviewed! Every time I upload a new chapter, I'm constantly checking my e-mail, excited to read the reviews and those who have subscribed. Please, I work so hard on this fanfic, it would mean a lot if I got more reviews. Also, before you continue reading **PLEASE **go on my profile and click on the soundtracks listed under this chapter for the appropriate scene. I will indicate to you when will be a good time to play each one, so not to worry! It will make the scene feel more realistic in my eyes. Can't wait to see what you all think of this next chapter, enjoy!

**Chapter 18: Wish Upon a Star**

A thundering pulse…

A delicate touch…

A passionate sensation…

I didn't know what to make of the strange position we were in. Sasuke's heart reverberated like a beating drum, slowly and steadily. His skin, so…_warm_, his touch so…_mesmerizing_…

What was it about Uchiha Sasuke that made me feel so…_strange_? It was never like me to react so wildly inside, seeing him this way. It makes absolutely no sense, we _hardly_ know each other. The girl back in the woods was right, I mean, you can't trust someone you met recently. Sasuke-kun said he confided in me that one time, but, he couldn't have _possibly _meant it.

_That girl…_

Just who was she? That place…where was I? So many mysteries…

Her aura, so _pristine_, I felt it in the very core of my body. That clean soul radiating from the genuine maiden's heart was ineffably rare. When our hands intertwined with one another, we connected right away. She stunned me with her divine beauty, angelic in mind, body, and soul. Although glittering resplendently in a shade of lustrous pearl, the girl astounded me with her violet eyes. How familiar they were, I couldn't seem to place the memory. I found her purpurescent jewels to be so entrancing, almost as if Kami-sama designed them to be his mirror into the human world. She was so beautiful, yet, so…lost…

The girl had no idea who she was, or, where she was. It really disturbed me. She seemed to be trapped in that dark realm, untrusting of her surrounding environment, other than the owl who accompanied her. That world was almost like a twisted childhood dream, ominous and bewitching. Then, somehow, my mind transferred to a village in the desert. A brother and a sister, their fates tested. One leaves home for a cause, the other, journeys inward to find herself. The girl's eyes, I noticed, were also the same shade as the young woman's I encountered in the woods. Is there a way the two of them could be related? The story of the siblings was almost similar to a memory, but, I had no recollection of who they were. We had never met before. So why did I see it happen in my mind?

"**Sakura-chan! Are you alright?"**

_Since Kobato-chan is a part of me, is it possible that she may have experienced those weird dreams too?_

She caught my attention, perched on a nearby windowsill. I slipped my hand away from Sasuke's warm chest and proceeded to question her.

"Kobato-chan, did you see what I saw?"

The ethereal creature blinked, rolling her mind back to what happened moments ago.

"**You mean…the boy and the girl? You saw them too?"**

I nodded fervently, hoping she would elaborate.

"**It was the weirdest feeling I've ever had…I felt so nostalgic after seeing them, their home, and the unfortunate situation that befell them."**

"You're saying what you saw was familiar?"

"**Hai…as if it were a distant memory…"**

So there were some interesting clues. Kobato-chan seemed to remember that strange scene, yet, I didn't. She described it like a distant memory, making her feel nostalgic. What does that tell me? Nani mo! Nothing was piecing together, I mean, it doesn't make sense since Kobato is a _bird_. What would she know about this…memory? How did it relate to her?

"What about the girl in the woods? The one with the violet eyes?"

"**Ano…nani, Sakura-chan?"**

Letting out an exasperated sigh, I continued.

"You know! The girl with the creepy owl, capable of growing tremendous in size. She was totally lost and confused; she had no idea who she was!"

Silence.

"You don't remember, do you?"

"**Hai, Sakura-chan. I don't recall anything about a girl in the woods. I just remember the brother and sister, that's it. Gomen." **

_Even weirder. She doesn't remember anything about that creepy realm, just the girl and boy in Sunagakure._ Just then, it finally registered.

_Sunagakure_…oba-san's homeland. I keep hearing about that place, what is its significance?

"Sakura-san!" Shizune-san called, entering the room with Kakashi-san.

"_We'll talk about this later…" _I telepathically relayed to my winged friend, as she disappeared furtively behind the leafy tree branches.

"Shizune-san, you're okay!" I speculated, hastily approaching the woman.

She appeared to be healthy, without needing the support of Kakashi-san.

"Yes, I feel fine. Keiko, my assistant, ran to Tsunade-sama for help. Hearing of the ongoing ruckus, she rushed in and forced a pill or two of antibiotics down my throat. I could move freely around the room, my paralysis faded away within minutes. We found both you and Sasuke lying on the floor, but, you were the only one of the two knocked unconscious. Sasuke was barely awake. He couldn't stand himself, so we had a team of people carry the both of you to the other side of the room to rest comfortably."

"But, Shizune-san, what did you make of Sasuke's strange behavior? He changed completely."

She directed her charcoal eyes towards his slumbering form.

"It was…unnerving. I've never seen anything of the sort. It seems to me that he was, dare I say, _possessed_. The thing is…I normally don't believe in evil spirits and demons, to me, that's all an urban legend. Maybe it had something to do with a problem in his brain or something else I missed during his screening."

"**I don't think Shizune-san's diagnosis is correct. This might just be a supernatural cause, rather than something purely biological."**

_I agree, Kobato-chan._

"Whatever happened here, stays here, you got that?" Shizune ascertained.

"Hai," I responded.

"How are you feeling, Sakura?" Kakashi-san asked, with the light of his ameliorating smile hitting the once grim darkness coloring his eyes.

"Okay. A bit startled about what happened though."

He placed a reassuring hand on my shoulder.

"We'll be here when you need us."

The intimidating façade once belonging to the masked man tarnished completely, viewing a different side of him. One that was good-natured and gentle. For one of the very few times in my life so far, I felt cared for. The feelings I held for myself as a worthless individual were now waning away.

"**And this journey you've embarked on is gradually showing you that," **stated Kobato.

I merely smiled, enjoying the good feelings saturating my heart.

"Sakura."

My attention was now focused on the dark-haired woman in front of me.

"You're free to go home now if you'd like. Or if you want, the festival should be starting shortly, and you can head down there with us."

Ah, that's right, Konoha's annual cherry blossom festival. The long awaited event of the year. How could I pass up such a wonderful opportunity for fun, relaxation, and plenty full of socialization? However, my heart sensed there was another duty for me to fulfill, after laying eyes on the man resting peacefully before me.

"I think I'll come by a bit later. I want to be here when Sasuke wakes up."

She narrowed her eyes, "I don't trust him around you, Sakura. After this fiasco, who knows what dangerous acts he could commit next! It would be better if you left this hospital."

"But that wasn't _Sasuke_, Shizune-san. It's whatever possessed him that is dangerous. Besides, I can take care of myself."

Shizune nodded and declared otherwise, "As the hokage's longtime advisor, it is my duty to ensure your safety. If I say _no_, then you will obey."

"I am not a child; I can do whatever I please!" I retorted.

She scoffed mockingly, "This has nothing to do with being a child! Sasuke in this condition is dangerous. It would not be wise for you to remain here. Lady Tsunade has asked me to look after you for the time being. She has specified orders for you to stay away from him."

My fists clenched, while at the same time, trying to keep my mouth shut. These were the hokage's demands. We have already started on the wrong foot, so I had to appease the situation, I had to comply.

"Fine," I muttered irately, storming out the door.

_Ugh, I can't believe this! Why…why must I always follow someone else's orders? It's like I can't even control my own life! I'm sick and tired of it. All I wanted to do was keep Sasuke company. I was feeling so bad for him that he had no one else around; now, we can't even be in the same room as each other. I'm nineteen years old; I can take care of myself. They're acting as if I'm some helpless, fragile baby who can't do anything on her own! What does the hokage care? She's not my mother! I don't even know her that well, and now, she thinks she can boss me around like that. We have no relation to each other. Sure she knew my mother, but, she hasn't been around for me at all my entire life while I've been practically enslaved to that horrid old woman. Tsunade-san is nothing to me. I just want to get out of here! I want to leave Konoha, I need to explore this vast world and see everything with my own eyes, not listen to my grandmother's lies. It's time I become independent and stronger._

"Teenagers these days…" I heard Shizune-san whisper to one of the executive nurses, following behind me.

**Author's Note: You should start playing the Stargazing music (listed on my profile, the first link under chapter 18) once Sakura races outside the hospital.**

I chose to ignore the comment, and let my blood boil on the inside instead. Rapidly, I raced out the front door of the hospital and followed the well-lit lanterns hanging from street lights and sturdy tree branches with stark red kanji painted on them, leading the villagers to the cherry blossom festival. **(A/N: Start the soundtrack now!) **Finally, the sun set completely, revealing the night sky's starlit beauty. While enthralled by the scene before me, something bright shot across the empyrean firmament above.

"Look, Kaa-chan, look!"

My curious emerald orbs rolled towards the direction of a young boy, holding his mother's hand walking just ahead of me. He looked to be about six or seven years old, clad in a simple cornflower blue yukata, finished off with a black obi tied at the waist. He pointed his left index finger to the sky, directing his mother's attention to what caught his.

"Do you see that, Kaa-chan?" the youth spoke softly, too wrapped up in the awe-inspiring sight displayed before him.

She smiled gracefully, nodding her head.

"Hai, Kenji-chan, I do. What you see is a shooting star."

The child widened his innocent doe eyes, gazing up at his mother.

"A shooting star? You mean stars can move?"

She chuckled, adoring his inquisitive nature.

"Few do, but, guess what? You and I are lucky. Not everybody gets to see a shooting star. Now that we see it, you have to make a wish, Kenji-chan!"

"A wish…?" the child repeated, watching the phenomenon occur.

His mother kept her hands on his shoulders, staring after the flying wonder.

"Hurry, Kenji! Before it's gone, make your wish!"

He temporarily turned his head to her, "You mean I can wish for anything I want?"

"Yes, and it will be sure to come true. You just have to believe. When you make your wish, you can't tell anyone. Kami-sama is the only one who can hear it. Make the moment last, make sure it's a really good wish, who knows when you'll see another one again. It's moving really fast, hurry, before the star disappears!"

I watched as young Kenji closed his eyes and whispered something inaudible, presumably his wish, and turned back to his mother completely satisfied.

"Kaa-chan, I did it! I made my wish!"

She pat him on the head, "Good, Ken-chan. Now let's head on over to the festival, we don't want to keep tou-san waiting, now, do we?"

"Kaa-chan…?"

"Yes, darling?"

He stared upward again, "Did you make a wish?"

She beamed, "I did."

The boy twiddled his thumbs, "Ano…what did you wish for?"

His mother merely ruffled his shiny, brunette locks.

"Silly Kenji, that's between Kami-sama and I! And if I tell you, it won't come true, remember?"

And without a single word, the child ran ahead, with his mother following after him.

Watching the glowing ball of fire tear across the black skies rang a bell in my mind. I still had a chance to make a wish.

_Freedom…_

And within a blink of an eye, it vanished.

**~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~**

**Author's Note: Now is the time to play the second soundtrack (go on my profile), the festival music! **

The festivities were a step away, as I could hear the tranquil music and mindless chatter of the excited villagers. The elaborate sign towering over me caught my attention, reading:

"_**Welcome to the annual Sakura Matsuri, please enjoy your stay!"**_

I wasted no time in entering, and found myself immersed in a vibrant environment filled with life and natural beauty. In every corner were healthy cherry blossom trees, flourishing with pastel shaded flora and vigorous greenery. These organisms were the main attractions of the festival, hence, the namesake of the event. In addition to the natural wonder of the Sakura tree, was the extravagant bazaar along with the food and game stalls which made this event special. People of all ages, nationalities, and classes were here. This was the time of the year when everyone came together as a family. Women strolled the area, decked out in elaborate kimonos and jewels. Children carried animal-inspired balloons and prizes they won from the gaming stalls, begging their parents to go back and participate once more. Street performers impressed the crowds, many families put their craftsmanship to the test in the form of origami; the possibilities to spend the evening were endless!

_What to do, what to do?_

While pacing forward, I spotted Shizune-san entering the festival with the man she's grown fond of for years, Kakashi-san. Her condescending orders angered me, and instead of sticking around to greet the couple, I blended in with the crowd, staying out of sight. However, part of me wanted to comprehend the status of their relationship. Were they an item? Did Kakashi-san decide to bring her with him out of pity? Well both of them were in fact grown adults; it's highly possible that both felt silly attending the festival by themselves. In fact, everyone I've seen so far had someone with them. Clearly I was a pathetic excuse of a person, meandering all by myself, staring out into space. The girls my age were as ostentatiously dressed, if not more, than their mothers or the other women here. All parts of their bodies were accessorized and bejeweled with countless ornaments. They clearly wanted attention, and they got it. Without thinking, I observed my attire, finally aware of how _underdressed _I was for this occasion. Sure enough it was a kimono, but the work was quite simple. A pale shade of green adorned with powder pink blossom petals, lightly sketched onto the fabric; my hair was styled in an effortless braid, completing the look without any jewelry or fancy hair decorations.

The aroma of baked goods and flavorful foods intoxicated my nostrils. In fact, I hadn't eaten anything all day; my stomach's growling evidently indicated so. Vendors stationed everywhere enticed mobs of people with their tasty treats. What mainly grabbed my attention was the Ichiraku ramen noodle stand located just a few stalls down. People flocked to Teuchi-san demanding for his best seller, spicy beef ramen. With Ayame-chan's help, people received their entrees in a timely manner. After watching the long line slowly disappear, I walked over and ordered my meal for the evening.

"Saku-chan!" Ayame greeted with surprise.

I smiled in return.

"Ohayo, Ayame-chan! How's everything? Enjoying the festival?"

She handed another customer a menu as she responded.

"Well so far I've only had time for taking people's orders here, but from what I can see, it looks like so much fun. I'm so glad Tou-san volunteered to open up a food stall for this event; it's been really beneficial for our family business. People won't stop buying, it's great! How are you feeling? What made you decide to come out tonight?"

Ayame-chan was referring to the fact that I'm always stuck at home, never attending exciting annual events like the cherry blossom festival. I didn't mind answering her questions.

"I just decided it'd be nice to have some fun for a change. After being in a hospital for a couple days, I wanted to get some fresh air and participate in all these fun activities."

She nodded, "Oh, so how is your oba-san? Is she here with you?"

And my nerves immediately twisted after hearing that question. I started to second guess my arrival here. What if the old woman saw me gallivanting around? After standing up to her during the council meeting, I wasn't so sure if she'd let me slide that easily.

Immediately I began to fiddle with my fingers.

"O-Oh! Uh…she's fine, haven't seen her all day. Been busy running errands. I'm sure she's here having a good time."

Understanding that I had nothing else to say concerning the matter, Ayame placed my order and came back with a refreshing bowl of beef ramen. My taste buds were sent to heaven. Thank Kami, no more of that bland hospital junk they call food. This was the moment when my strength began to recover, and the warm liquid settling inside my body felt stupendous. After finishing, I turned from my seat, facing none other than Shizune-san.

"Sakura," she nodded in acknowledgement.

I sighed, choosing not to be enthusiastic about seeing her.

"Shizune-san."

"Konbanwa, Shizune-san! What would you like to ord-"

Before Ayame could finish her sentence, she paused after watching Kakashi-san stand beside the woman. Immediately, her behavior began to change.

"You were saying, Ayame?" Shizune-san asked politely, trying to get her back on track.

Ayame continued staring at the masked stranger, "A-Ano…m-may I t-take your o-order…sir?"

Oblivious to the girl's high-strung state, Kakashi-san glanced at the menu and requested a bowl of miso soup, a dish serving four skewers of teriyaki chicken, and steamed rice on the side. As she continued to take the order down on her notepad, her face was well hidden, and the girl's timidity became obvious. A strong redness colored Ayame's usually pallid face. She failed to meet eyes with the man and responded with slight shivering. A newfound neurotic Ayame was born. I was astonished to see her act this way. Usually she was so confident, _especially_ around men she'd taken a liking to.

_Kami, and I thought Hinata had it bad!_

Without regarding Kakashi-san any longer, the young waitress unwillingly rolled her chestnut eyes toward Shizune-san, and patiently waited.

"I'd like a bowl of miso soup as well with a cup of tea, please."

The girl nodded and walked towards the back, conveying both of their orders to the chef. When the time came, she arrived carrying the food and placed the dishes in front of the hungry customers.

"Enjoy," she insisted, sneaking Kakashi-san a coy smile, which did not go unnoticed by his escort.

"Arigato, Ayame." Kakashi-san gratified.

To which I noticed her eyes dilating in ecstasy.

"You look surprised," Hatake-san observed, his eyes gleaming with brightness.

She blushed handsomely, "Ano…it's just that…I didn't think you knew who I was."

The copy ninja's eyebrow rose, "Who _doesn't_ know you? Why, you're Teuchi-san's daughter of course ! Everyone knows how capable of a cook you are! Your father taught you well."

Her head bent slightly, modestly accepting his praise.

"Oh my…well…arigato, Hatake-san. That really means a lot."

The said man nodded, "Call me Kakashi, and it's not a big deal, you're good at what you do. I really like a woman who can cook."

Ayame batted her lashes nervously, face turning beet red.

"A-Arigato…Kakashi-san…" she spoke softly.

Just then a tea mug slammed irritably on the wooden counter.

"Thank you for your assistance, Ayame. You have other customers waiting for you, if either one of us needs anything, we'll be sure to let you know."

Ayame eyed Shizune-san suspiciously, soon, replaced with a look of displeasure. I was able to decipher her face, reading, _this means war! _There was an insurmountable amount of tension built up between them, almost like a tug-o-war, for Kakashi-san's attention. Speaking of the man himself, he was utterly oblivious to the scene, devouring his freshly cooked cuisine. I, on the other hand, was uncomfortable as well as the rest of the customers in line. Maybe I could understand the silent war for this man's affections between these two young women, but, is it really worth competing against each other? There is quite an age difference between Ayame-chan and Shizune-san. One is nineteen, and the other, is almost thirty years old. Shizune-san is acting like she owns him, and to be honest, I find that really immature coming from her part.

"No, that's perfectly alright. After all, father invested in extra wait staff tonight. They can take care of the rest of the costumers. It's my duty to stay here and fulfill both of your needs," Ayame responded in a snarky manner.

After noticing the left over crumbs on Kakashi-san's plate, Ayame leaned toward the man, and quickly disposed of its contents, soon returning with a freshly made dish.

"Please try it, and don't worry about payment, it's on the house."

Kakashi-san blinked his only visible eye twice, and without anymore hesitation, cut a bite-sized piece with his fork, and chewed enjoyably.

"You've outdone yourself, Ayame! What is it?"

She pulled up a stool in front of Kakashi-san, gazing upon his concealed face adoringly, much to the irritation of Shizune-san.

"Kasutera! The traditional honey-flavored sponge cake of Konohagakure. It took quite a few hours to make, but, I'm glad it was worth all that effort seeing how much you like it."

She failed to suppress a blush, as Shizune impatiently tapped her fingers on the counter.

"I'd like a serving as well," Shizune declared sternly, trying to make her presence noticeable.

Ayame looked upon the said woman's face with feigned innocence.

"Sorry to disappoint, but, there's no more left."

Shizune was a smart woman. She knew this was just a tactic to make her jealous. Seems like Ayame's plan worked, watching Shizune abruptly stand and drag Kakashi-san away.

"We're wasting too much time here, Kakashi! Take me to the other stalls!" she ordered.

The silver-haired man scratched his head, "I suppose…but, Ayame?"

Soon her disappointed look lit up immediately upon hearing him speak her name.

"Maybe I'll come by one of these days and learn a few culinary techniques from both you and your dad. I could definitely use some tips, that is, if you don't mind."

Ayame's bright smile unraveled immediately.

"N-No! Not at all, come by whenever you like!"

Kakashi-san nodded and left, not before handing the girl a generous tip.

"Buy something nice," he suggested, walking away from the stall with a finally relieved Shizune clinging onto him.

"Did you see that, Sakura-chan!"

I gave her thumbs up while she giggled girlishly, "Sure did! Good job, didn't know you had it in you. Although, you should really be careful, especially around Shizune-san. She _really_ likes him."

Ayame-chan scoffed, "Like I care! Her opinion doesn't matter to me. Can you see it, Sakura-chan? Wedding bells! I think I'll even cater my own wedding! Hehe!"

_What silly fantasies…_

"Well, Ayame-chan, you've got all these people waiting. I don't want to hold them up, so, I'll see you later?"

She nodded, "Hai! Hopefully if I can get off my shift early, we can hang out! Enjoy the rest of the night! If you get hungry, you can always come back for more!"

"I will," I assured her, and moved elsewhere.

It didn't take much for me to realize that something was missing during my time at the Ichiraku Ramen shop. The breath of life itself…_gone_…a voice that should have been heard, wasn't heard. The sound of easily recognizable laughter that usually echoed throughout the main roads and back alleyways of the village, interrupting the daily routines of its inhabitants, emulated no longer. The joy epitomizing in the form of one blonde, hyperactive, knuckle-headed ninja seemed to be forgotten by everyone as they moved about the festival contently. Naruto played a vital role in my life, even if there was a period of time we hadn't seen each other that often. A true friend, no, a brother he really was. He provided unconditional love and support. He was someone without a doubt whom I could trust my life with. Now, he's vanished off the face of this earth, without a single trace of his whereabouts. Naruto was inspirational and one of a kind, how could I possibly continue living my life without him?

I can't.

"Ladies and gentlemen!"

My footsteps halted.

"Boys and girls!"

The tip of my foot pivoted and faced the source of the commanding voice, charming the audience.

"I present to you a truly magical feat in which I will accomplish before your very own eyes. I will disappear from thin air!"

Gasps, murmurs, and awe-inspired applause thundered amongst the crowd.

"Now you see me," the magician stated the obvious, shielding himself with his midnight cape, allowing him to appear grander and more mysterious.

"Now you don't."

Just then, his figure vanished from thin air, as the man had hoped to achieve. The cape unraveled itself and dropped onto the ground, leaving a pile of nothingness. One of the audience members daringly stepped forward and held up the ebony-shaded cloak and jumped backward in alarm, witnessing a flock of doves flying out of the opening and into the obsidian skies.

"Splendid!" the very same man clapped, impressed with the magical performance. Soon, everyone else followed his example.

Those doves…they were _free_.

_Why can't I be just like them?_

"**And it will come true, Sakura-chan, you just have to believe." **Kobato echoed.

Slowly, it started to sink in.

_What if…what if this is all some test Kami-sama has set up for me? Maybe he's saying to help myself before I can aid anyone else. It's a sign…I have to find a way to break free before I can locate Naruto. By the time I do, I'll be ready to see him again. I'll be ready to face whatever harsh reality that comes my way. I have to grow and mature, it's the only way to move forward. _

"Sakura-san!"

Upon hearing someone calling my name, I turned, finally realizing who it was.

"Konbanwa, Lee," I greeted politely.

The bowl-headed youth rushed to me immediately after regarding him in a hunter green yukata, carrying a bouquet of yellow, red-tipped roses and a box of chocolate-dipped bananas.

"For you," Lee kindly offered, not before flashing his set of pearly whites proudly.

My eyes widened, observing the festival items he had purchased.

"Oh, Lee…arigato, I really appreciate your kindness, but, I'm afraid I'll have to say no."

His eyebrows rose inquiringly, waving the flowers in front of my face, gesturing for me to take them.

"Onegai, Sakura-san! I spent quite an amount of yen on the flowers and sweets, hoping you'd be here. Thank Kami I've found you! Might I say, you are looking as youthful as ever tonight."

"**When is someone _not _ever looking youthful to him?"**

I stifled a laugh, over thinking Kobato-chan's comment. Lee needs to expand his vocabulary; the word "youthful" was much too overused for my taste. I'm sure everyone in this entire village feels the same way.

_Well then have you ever thought about the possibly of me rejecting what you have to offer?_

Lucky for Kobato-chan, she didn't have to hold in her laughter. Her sweet giggles crashed vociferously against my ears, without anyone else having to hear them.

I nodded my head, "Lee…gomen…I cannot accept these. Why not give them to another girl who's more…deserving?"

He persisted, "_Deserving? _My sweet, Sakura-san! You are the most deserving young woman I could ever dream of, showering you with these precious gifts! You embody all that is youthful! If you don't want the flowers, at the very least, take the sweets. I fought for the last box, with you on my mind."

"Who did you fight with?" I inquired.

Lee scratched the back of his head anxiously.

"Ano…Sakura-san that is not what is important. Please, my youthful blossom, take these before-"

"LEEEEEEEEEEEEE!"

The green-garbed young man cocked his head to the side, cowering in fear before Akimichi Choji, who rolled down the village road and knocked into numerous stalls and common people.

"Watch where you're going, you fat lard!" an elderly man yelled, crossed with his spilled barbeque.

"You're paying for this damage!" informed another civilian.

Currently, Choji was too preoccupied with Lee to care what the others had to say.

"Ch-Choji…w-what a nice surprise…you're looking quite youthful tonight. How about you and I take a nice walk and enjoy this youthful night?"

The bulkier man glared and grabbed the collar of Lee's yukata, "When I'm through with you, you won't be using the word _'youthful' _again, hear me?"

The victim's only response was a gulp of his throat, too scared to utter a word. I don't blame him one bit, Choji can be intimidating when provoked.

"Give me my chocolate-covered bananas…" he seethed.

"F-Funny thing…I planned to give these delectable treats to youthful Sakura-san. These are her favorite."

Both men turned their faces for me to respond, with Choji retaining his angered look, and Lee, his nervousness.

"Sakura, do you love chocolate-covered bananas?" Choji interrogated, not bothering to let go of Lee.

My emerald orbs rolled in the direction of the fearful youth.

"Hai…I do. I've loved them ever since I was little."

I watched as Choji's mouth formed an, "O" shape.

"I see."

He let go of Rock Lee, much to his dismay.

Then his expression grew more irritable stating the next sentence.

"But Hotaka-san, the dessert stall manager, said she won't be serving anymore until the fireworks display! That's not until a couple more hours, and, I can't wait that long! Rock Lee knew I saw the last box first, but, he decided to be greedy about it and take them from me!"

Lee crossed his arms in front of his chest, knitting his bushy brows together, "Now I am _appalled_ that you, the round one, wish to blame the entire predicament on me. I have a strict code of morality, and I would _never_ take something that someone already claimed to be there's. That's just unyouthful behavior, and Gai-sensei would never forgive me! In this case, clearly, _I _was the one who feasted my eyes upon this heavenly dessert first!"

Before this became a full-fledged, heated argument, I halted the commotion stirring between the two.

"Matte!"

They had my attention.

"It's just a chocolate-covered banana; this is not a life and death situation. Choji, if you really can't wait a couple hours, then you can just buy a box from the Ichiraku ramen stand. Teuchi-san and his daughter, Ayame, have plenty in stock."

I watched his beady brown eyes move in the direction of the ramen stand, catering to many hungry customers.

"On second thought, I think I'll just wait until the fireworks start," he changed his mind, beginning to walk away from Lee and me.

"Now wait just a youthful minute! Why ever not will you go? I can see right now, so many of your favorite chocolate-covered bananas in stock! They're fresh!"

Choji averted his gaze.

"I just lost my appetite, that's all…"

"All ready? You can't be serious," a new voice stated, momentarily interrupting our conversation.

"Sai!" I beamed, seeing another familiar face pop by.

"It's good to see you, Sakura," he greeted calmly, soon after regarding Rock Lee and questioning Choji.

"I told you, Sai, I'm full. Stop hounding me about it, alright?"

"Tisk, tisk…maybe you've lost it all of a sudden since you're so _nervous_."

"Sai, cut it out!" Choji gritted his teeth, lightly punching the dark-haired man's shoulder.

"Nervous? About what?" I proceeded to question the both of them.

Sai chuckled, "Nervous because he's head over heels in lo-MMMPH!"

"Round one, that is unyouthful behavior! Uncover Sai-san's mouth with your filthy hands right now!"

Thankfully, Sai had the strength to remove Choji's tight grasp from himself.

"If you won't tell Sakura and Lee, Choji, then I will."

"But what's the need to tell! Just drop it, alright?" 

The talented artist sighed, "You're just digging a deeper hole for yourself…"

Having given up, he gave Sai a defeated look, "Alright, _fine_. You guys can't tell _anyone_, promise?"

I smiled sincerely as Lee bowed and recited a grandiose speech, promising to be an honorable and trustworthy comrade.

He coughed to clear his throat, "Okay, I like…no…I _reeeeaaaally _like Ayame. There, happy?"

A sparkle of joy glinted evidently in my viridian eyes.

"Well then all the more of a better reason to buy a box of chocolate-covered bananas, ne Choji-san?"

He twiddled his thumbs, occasionally glancing at the girl who won his affections.

"I can't…she'll never like me…"

"Nonsense, round one! Youthful Ayame-san will gladly accept you for who you are, have some confidence!"

Choji clenched his fists with annoyance, "Don't you get it, Lee? To you, I'm the _round one_. To the other villagers, I'm nothing but a _fat lard_. She can't possibly feel the same way because I look like _this_."

I placed a hand on his shoulder, "If Ayame had any sense, she would certainly look past your weight and learn give the real you a chance."

He nodded, "But, Sakura…everyone knows Ayame's taste in guys. None of them have ever been like…me. For Kami sake, she's just as shallow and superficial as Ino!"

Sai narrowed his eyes, "Ino is neither shallow nor superficial. You just have to get to know her a bit. She's a sweet girl."

"And how do you know this?" asked Choji.

"We've been discussing prospective designs for a future clothing business. She wants me to create the prints and embroideries for her, that's how. It's obvious that you don't know Ayame enough since you're judging her critically like that. You should make the first move and talk to her."

Sai continued, "On second thought, before you say anything, you should be properly equipped."

"Properly equipped?" Choji, Lee, and I repeated.

"You need flowers, they may look simple and plain, but, each and every one has a different meaning. On that note, Ino is waiting by the Yamanaka flower stall. She sent me to bring you guys over."

_Sai sure has a way with words, doesn't he?_

Wordlessly, we ventured off to find Ino. I hadn't seen her in a while, and I was excited to see the kinds of flora she had in store for us today. Again I was off on my own planet, gazing around me indifferently. After looking to my right, I noticed an intimate group of familiar people I had seen at the hokage's council meeting. Nekobaa-san and Koharu-san strode elegantly past the crowds, carrying expensive merchandise they purchased from the various stalls; their faces shown with delight, enjoying the breathtaking scenery around them. Trailing behind the two women was-

_Oba-san…_

Not a trace of a smile on her solemn countenance, her hands completely bare of festival treats and other commodities. Compared to both Nekobaa-san and Koharu-san's choice in classy rosette and royal blue kimonos, she was dressed in a homely powder-shaded outfit, matching her same-colored eyes. Oba-san's eyebrows remained arched downwards, producing myriads of deep wrinkles marring her aged skin. She looked miserable to be here, refusing to participate in the lively conversation between her companions. Not even the sight of beautiful cherry blossoms could appease her damaged soul.

"Oi, Sakura! You coming?" called Choji, waving his arm for me to spot him in the midst of this unruly crowd.

And before I could inform him that I was on my way, I caught the eye of another. Unkind, cold-hearted, ghostly orbs peered through me. Her scowl deepened, body facing mine completely. No words exchanged, but a daunting silence. The old woman's jaw was clenched tightly, indicating a callous repugnance she held for me. The tension, I found, was thick and overbearing. Kami only knew what she was thinking in her sick mind. For a moment, I thought about apologizing to her. However, what for? I did nothing but stand for my beliefs. Not only to oba-san, but to the other elders as well, including the hokage. They revered me for doing so; she became offended, taking it as an act of disobedience. I frankly did not plan on uttering a word to her. Instead of stepping back in fear of her glowering, I stood firmly on the ground. My eyes no longer watery from crying, there was not a sensation of liquid threatening to slide down my cheeks. My body leaned forward as I arched my eyebrows, and emanated an acrimonious aura from my guarded emerald orbs. She remained unfazed by my fortitude, as I casually turned my face to answer Choji's question.

"Be right there!"

And without looking back, I bolted ahead to catch up with my friends.

_I did it! I really did it!_

A newfound confidence arose within me while I chatted happily with the three boys, eventually reaching the popular Yamanaka flower stall attracting swarms of people, lavishly filled with diverse selections of greenery. The flowers were fully bloomed and arranged fastidiously. There stood Ino clad in a long, golden kimono embellished with crème trimmings. Her sunlit, incandescent locks left up in a high ponytail, extending to her lower back. That spirited laugh of hers was so distinct and unique, sharing a friendly moment with a young mother of three children as she handed her a bouquet of canary-yellow chrysanthemums.

"Arigato, miss! Thank you and have a nice evening," the woman said.

Ino grinned, "No problem! Come back for more whenever you like! Enjoy your flowers and the festival!"

When the customer walked out of sight, Sai caught her attention.

"Ino, look whose here," he stated the obvious.

Her azure jewels widened in recognition of our familiar faces, and especially glistened under the burning lanterns at the sight of me.

"Forehead, you're here!" the spunky blonde beamed, tackling me in a warm embrace.

I nodded as she let go, "I am, I'm so glad to see you, it's about time! Show me your flower collection; everyone's been raving about it."

Ino-pig took her place behind the stall, playing the part of a knowledgeable sales clerk.

"Feast your eyes on these babies, Saku! You name it, we've got it! Seriously, my mom's been doing a lot of travelling lately, collecting all types of plants. Many are not even native to Konoha. She went as far as the tea country a couple weeks ago!"

"Wow, that's amazing. So what's been your most popular seller tonight?"

Thinking over my question, she pouted her lips, sky blue eyes tracing over her multi-colored display of natural flora.

"Oh, I'd say the chrysanthemums. You should know this, billboard brow, its Konoha's national flower. Take a careful look at its petals; they're perfectly symmetrical and golden. The shape is circular, with an innumerable amount of rays flowing from its center. Your smart enough to figure this out, Sakura, what does my description remind you of?"

"The sun." I answered immediately.

"You got it! It's also known as the solar flower, commonly associated with the fiery spirit of our villagers. People have been stopping by this stall to buy chrysanthemum flower pots, bouquets, and seeds to grow in their yards. It's a belief that once this particular flower has fully blossomed, the family living on its grounds will be ensured a long life of prosperity, good health, and happiness. Its origins came from the first dynasty of the Haruno-clan. The chrysanthemum flower represented the emperor's position in society, and its ideals he stood for. Yeesh, and to think, you a _Haruno_ clan member would know this? I'm disappointed, Sakura."

_And you think that's MY fault, Ino-pig? Try living with a control-freak grandmother all these years who had nothing else to say but "love is pain". I learned nothing while growing up with her._

"Guess everyone learns something new everyday." I shrugged nonchalantly.

She agreed, "Oh, and definitely roses. People have been going crazy with those. You know what I love about cherry blossom season? It's a time for people to appreciate _all _species of flowers, not just the sakura trees. They're all beautiful and hold underlying meanings. People take it as an opportunity to let the flora speak for them. Tonight I've seen countless red roses being exchanged between couples. Speaking of which, Lee, how'd it go with that special lady of yours?"

Ino's teasing smile struck Lee uncomfortably, as he looked down at his bouquet with dejection.

"Gomen, Ino-san. I feel as if I have squandered the amount of yen I had worked hard to earn, helping to deliver exports to other nations. The flowers were denied, and I understood. We are good friends and I decided our relationship as it stands now is what is most important. I came here hoping to return this bouquet, but, these flowers look much too youthful to give back! Someone around here is deserving of them. This beauty displayed before our very own eyes should not be wasted, but cherished and appreciated by another."

An empathetic look replaced the flower shop owner's joking expression.

"I'm sorry to hear that, Lee. Don't worry, there's someone out there who's better for you. She doesn't know what she's missing."

He bowed respectfully, "Arigato, Ino-san. You are not as bad you seem."

Rather than taking offense, the sprightly girl laughed it off.

"I've been told that," she stated, slyly stealing a glance at Sai.

Ino's piece of advice brought my attention to young, deserving Rock Lee. He's truly wonderful; an idealistic, respectful, patriotic, and caring individual. There aren't many people like him around. Although his romantic advances and unconventional tendencies bothered me, his positive attributes are what I admired about him the most. Sometimes it's difficult to appreciate Lee as a person, but at the end of the day, I am thankful for having him in my life. My heart breaks having to reject him constantly. It's obvious how much he values my relationship. Unfortunately, it can't work between us. However, I have all the faith in the world that Kami-sama will eventually bring someone special into Lee's life. She will be his world, the one who he can share true happiness with. It will take some time, but in the end, it will be worth it.

_At least one of us will be free to love. No matter how hard it is, I must learn to accept my fate. I was never born to love and be loved. It is time to move on, not live in these delusional fantasies. _

"**Sakura-chan…please be strong…"**

_Onegai, help me to be strong, Kobato-chan…_

"I've got an even better idea," claimed Sai, too busy doodling on his miniature sketchpad.

He looked up briefly.

"Lee, give them to Choji. He could use them."

An outraged look was displayed on the said Akimichi's face.

"Oh no! _nononononononononononononono nono…no…No…__**NO**_...**NO!** There is no freaking way! I know exactly what you're trying to pull. Don't think so Sai, you can forget it. If you think I'm giving these to Ayame, then-"

The pale-faced artisan formed a clueless look on his face.

"I merely said for Lee to give them to _you_. I know you appreciate flowers. You could use them in your garden, or your father's restaurant or something to lighten up your day. You're just digging a deeper hole for yourself, _tubb-_"

Choji shot his friend a glare, "You know _better _than to call me tubby, Sai. You're lucky you didn't finish the entire word."

Just then, Ino gasped surprisingly.

"No way, I had no idea you were into Ayame! Since when? Oh my gosh, you'd both make such a cute couple! I need to get you two together. Heck, take those flowers and give them to Ayame right this instance!"

Ignoring the boisterous blonde, the big-boned lad scowled once more at Sai.

"See? You just _had _to start it! Ino's the village gossipmonger, and if Ayame finds out…I can't even imagine! I'll be the laughing stalk of all of Konoha! "

She placed her hands on her hips sassily.

"Hey, I heard that tubby-"

"DON'T CALL ME TUBBY!"

"I'm not afraid of you, and besides, you wouldn't _dare _hit a girl."

No response.

"See? Didn't think so. Anyway, if it's not too much for your pea brain to comprehend, I _can _keep a secret. I'm completely trustworthy, and correction, I am one of the village matchmakers. I love setting people up! I want to encourage people to take chances and get out of their comfort zone, and I'm going to do the same thing with you and Ayame."

Choji sighed, defeated.

"So without me telling you anything, what would be the first step to 'woo' her?"

He shifted his attention to the left momentarily.

"Well…Sai did say I needed to be 'properly equipped'."

"Can you possibly guess what he might mean by that?"

"Flowers," he stated simply.

She applauded him, "Excellent! Now I'll coach you through the rest! You see-"

Too entranced by the Yamanaka flower display, I sauntered around the stall, observing the different arrangements. The way they were put together was quite unique, a style that I had never seen before. The stall was extended and had more to offer in the back. Once I brought myself around, a short-haired brunette girl sat tranquilly on a stool, organizing a posy of goldenrod chrysanthemums to her liking.

"Excuse me, do you work here…?" I started, hoping she could enlighten me on this form of flower arrangement.

She turned from her work flippantly, greeting me with a gentle smile.

"Konbanwa, Sakura-san."

"Matsuri? Ohayo! Didn't think I'd see you here. How are you? Enjoying the festival?"

"Hai…it's really something, isn't it? Ino-san's mother could not help out tonight; she's been running in and out, working on some errands. Flyers were posted all around the village, and one day, Hyuuga-sama recommended my name to help with the flower arrangements. I've been here since this morning helping to set up."

I pulled up a stool and sat next to her.

"Matsuri, I must say, you've done a fantastic job. What beautiful work! It looks like art."

She nodded, "Indeed, flower arranging is an art which takes years of practice. What you see around you is called the Ikebana technique. Ikebana is a disciplined art form in which nature and humanity are brought together. Another unique aspect of this particular type of flower arrangement is that it often emphasizes other areas of the plant, such as its stems and leaves, and draws emphasis toward shape, line, and form. The structure is actually a scalene triangle delineated by three main points representing heaven, earth, and man."

"**Kami, it's like she read my mind!"**

"How long does it take?" I asked out of curiosity.

She finally finished the last touch on her bouquet and set it down.

"For a beginner, it would take at least a couple hours. Since I've been doing it all my life, at the most it takes me about fifteen minutes."

"I really love what you've done with these chrysanthemums. It honestly looks like they came out of a portrait. You're so talented! You have to share it with the world Matsuri."

Flattered, she blushed modestly.

"A-Arigato, Sakura-san. I've always been an artsy child, but, right now supporting myself is really what's on my mind right now. There's too much to think about, and that doesn't include my biggest dreams."

_If only there was a way to help her…_

"How is Hinata-chan doing?" I inquired, changing the subject.

"To be honest, I haven't seen her for the past couple days. The other servants have told me that she's been severely depressed, locked up in her room. Her father hasn't been speaking to her, I'm not sure why. The royal family keeps their business a secret."

_Hinata…depressed? Dear Kami, please help her!_

"Have you tried going to her room and discussed anything with her? I know she usually tells you which flowers she wants to be pressed from her garden."

Not a positive sign came from the adolescent.

"No, not once. Her father actually placed strict orders for us not to have any contact with Hinata-hime. Even Hanabi-sama, Neji-sama, and Tenten-sama are prohibited from speaking to her. I remember one evening while cleaning up after dinner; Neji-sama approached Hyuuga-sama and demanded to know why he couldn't speak to her. Hyuuga-sama said that she was filth and unworthy of the Hyuuga name. She deserved to be locked up in her room."

"How awful…" was all I could mutter.

Despite the awful things she said to me, Hinata was my friend. Staying in her room like that was not healthy. She can't be isolated from everyone, it will drive her mad.

"Out of all the servants, I have grown the closest to Hinata-hime. Whatever wrong she had done, doesn't give her father sanction to treat her that way. Although, who am I to say that? I'm just a poor, lowly fifteen year old peasant; a slave for eternity. When I tend to the gardens, they remind me of Hinata-hime. So this bouquet I've created is just for her."

"Is there any reason why you specifically chose chrysanthemums?"

She meticulously observed her detail-oriented masterpiece, finally meeting eyes with me.

"This flower is often associated with longevity and prosperity, but, many people don't realize that its buttery glow represents the golden shine of fidelity. Although I started working for the Hyuuga family only seven months ago, it feels as if we've known each other for a long time. When she sees this bouquet, I want Hinata-hime to be reminded of our long lasting friendship."

Her reasoning brought a sweet smile to my face.

"Matsuri! I'm a little held up with these guys here, can you please help out these customers?"

She stood up, hurried to the front, and bowed as I followed her.

"Hai, Ino-san. Please come with me," Matsuri directed the two young women to the plethora of flowers on the other side, while I joined along.

"Ohayo, my name is Matsuri, and this is my friend Sakura. Welcome to the Yamanaka flower shop."

The young women she addressed were one of the snobbish, ostentatiously-dressed debutantes I spoke of. Their jewelry appeared as if it were exported from another nation, particularly the village hidden in the stone. Real diamonds and gold adorned their elaborate visages; even their chicly done up buns were studded brilliantly with gems. A distinct amount of powder and sanguine ruddiness enameled their pretentious faces. They regarded both of us condescendingly with noses sticking in the air, pompously idolizing themselves while treading with grace around the stall searching for their desirable flowers.

"Might I ask what specifically you are interested in purchasing? As you can see, we have many species of flowers in stock here."

One of them focused her highfaluting amber eyes on a dashing crepuscular-haired young man across the street, conversing with an elderly upper class official, garbed in a tasteful icy-blue yukata.

"See that man there?" she pointed, catching our attention.

We, mainly Matsuri, nodded.

"Hai," the timid teen informed, spotting him.

The woman moved her gaze from the gentleman once more.

"I'm going to marry him someday."

Matsuri shot me a strange look, while I responded in the same manner. Why would _anyone _in their right mind, say something as pointless as that? We're random people to her, we've never met before. What does this have to do with buying flowers?

A light chuckle could be heard from her counterpart.

"Oh Kikyo, you're too funny! Actually, I would say you're rather silly telling these two _children_, something personal like this. You must really have it bad!"

_CHILDREN? Fine, then what are you? An old grandma?_

"Hush, Keiko! Do you want the entire village to hear? He's going to fall in love with me once we lay eyes on each other. We're just meant to be."

Keiko-san, as much as I didn't want to admit it, appeared to be the more sensible of the duo.

"And how do you know that? You've never once spoken to him, just seen him at a few of these social affairs."

Kikyo smiled coquettishly as the object of her affections casually looked her way and soon involved himself in another chat with a friend of his.

She snapped her fingers impatiently, "_Shoot! _He looked straight at me and didn't notice! No matter, I have money and so does he. I have class and so does he. What more could we need? We'll have each other."

I couldn't believe what this ignoramus just spouted in front of us.

_Baka…_

"**You said it! Kami, I feel like knocking some sense into her!"**

I resisted the urge to slam her hard in the face. So she based her "love" for this man on wealth and social class? Then if that's the case, she doesn't know a thing about love and what it actually entails.

"You're unbelievable, Kikyo!" her friend scoffed, incredulous of that ridiculous statement.

"Hush, Keiko. This doesn't concern you. Now, little one, I'd like a bouquet of roses please."

Matsuri examined the section holding all of the roses that were in supply, "What color?"

"Red." Kikyo declared without another thought.

Matsuri nodded while sifting through the leftover bouquets requested by the rather obstinate customer.

"Well you're very lucky, Kikyo-san. This is the last of the red roses."

"I'm a very lucky lady, aren't I?" she boasted proudly, causing an eye roll from her friend.

"That'll be two-thousand yen, please."

We watched Kikyo rummage through her sequined clutch, eventually handing Matsuri the sum of money.

"Arigato," the adolescent thanked her graciously, bowing in respect.

"What do you think of my choice in flowers, miss?" with her amber eyes staring straight into my emerald ones, finally regarding me, after feeling invisible for majority of the entire conversation.

It took some time for me to really figure out what I wanted to say, observing her choice in flowers carefully.

"I think…I think red roses are overrated."

That caused her to raise an eyebrow inquiringly, waiting for me to elaborate my point.

"They're used _all _the time. Why not pick something else, something more meaningful?"

She brought the bouquet closer to my face, "Don't you see? Red roses are a universal symbol for passionate, undying _love_. What better message can you send then these flowers? I want that man to know how I feel, and this is the best way to get it across."

"I don't know about you, but, there's nothing special about red roses. Using them is not as much of an original idea as you think it is. I'd say the stranger you believe you're so in love with will be incredibly bored by your poor choice in flowers. He won't feel so special, seeing the same flower over and over again all over this festival. Then again, that's just _my _personal choice. You can do whatever you want to do."

Kikyo-san snorted mockingly, "You're right, I _can _do what I want to do. What does your opinion matter anyway? How foolish of me to ask someone with no experience with flowers whatsoever. Perhaps your friend will give me the better answer. What do you think young one?"

To get the woman out of her hair, Matsuri gave Kikyo-san a short answer.

"They're beautiful," she whispered.

Plastering a fake smile on her artificially-enhanced face, Kikyo-san looked to me triumphantly.

"Unlike you, your friend seems to understand perfectly."

_BAKA BAKA BAKA BAKA BAKA BAKA BAKA BAKA!_

"**Don't lose your cool, Sakura-chan! She's not worth it!"**

"You made the right choice. You're very different for most people your age. Tell me, young Matsuri, have you been in love before?"

Silence dawned upon us, quietly waiting for the girl's answer. She continued gazing upon the radiant beauty displayed in the form of the elegant red roses Kikyo-san carried. Soon, her bangs covered her aphotic eyes. A feeble sniffle or two could be heard from her diminutive nostrils.

"Matsuri…?" I couldn't help but utter in concern.

"Well that's our cue to leave, Keiko. You two girls have fun now." Kikyo-san yakked, walking off with her compeer.

I finally bent down to her level, as she sat cross-legged, wiping away her oncoming tears. "Matsuri, what's wrong? Is everything okay?"

"H-He said…e-everything was…gonna be okay…and we'd s-see each other…again…" she mumbled faintly.

I placed my hand on her shoulder.

"Who is _he_, Matsuri?"

She inhaled sharply before speaking tacitly again, "My world…"

Immediately afterwards, Matsuri stood up and hurried to the front of the stall while grabbing a tissue on the way to clear her face.

"Matsuri, wait!" I called after, rising anon, and rushing to catch up.

The girl instead ran faster and reached her supervisor, bowing to Ino courteously, with her eyes still covered.

"Gomen…Ino-san, I'm afraid I am not well. Please excuse me for tonight…" I heard her say, surrounded as well by Lee, Choji, and Sai.

Ino, taken aback by her sudden change in behavior, understood.

"Oh…well I'm so sorry to hear that, Matsuri. Thank you so much for helping, I really appreciate it. Before you go, please take the profits you deserve. You've worked so hard."

She nodded, "Please, I don't want the money. I need to leave now, thank you."

And with that, Matsuri raced off into the night, leaving the rest of us dumbfounded. Before I took a step forward, my right eye noticed the bouquet of chrysanthemums she made for Hinata, thankfully still in tact. I scooped them up and joined the others.

"What was up with _her_?" wondered Choji, eyes trailing after Matsuri's departure.

"She looked upset about something…" contemplated Sai.

"Perhaps the youthful girl is experiencing a hormonal imbalance?" Lee chimed in, earning ludicrous stares from the rest of us.

Ino-pig waved off his burlesque statement, "Don't think so, she was perfectly fine all day today. I don't understand the sudden change! Sakura, you were just with Matsuri. What caused her to be so upset?"

My frazzled mind rolled back to the recent memory.

"We had this discussion about red roses…then one of the customers out of the blue asks if Matsuri's ever been in love. She started to break down soon afterwards."

Inside my chest, I could feel my heart growing heavy. Matsuri's sorrow affected me so greatly. If only I could understand what went on in that little head of hers.

_Maybe she's feeling a little homesick, that's all…_

"Where did you get that bouquet, Saku?" Ino asked.

My eyes followed her sky blue ones to the graceful gathering of pulchritudinous, glowing chrysanthemums held in my right hand.

"Matsuri arranged them for Hinata. I guess next time we see each other; I'll give them to her. I've never seen work as beautiful as this, she's so talented. Her creativity, I think, is what made every bouquet a big hit."

Ino smiled in congruence, "I know, I think so too! Thank Kami my parents sent out those flyers, otherwise, we never would have found her. She made that bouquet for Hinata? It's beautiful! I didn't know they knew each other. Actually speaking of which, I haven't seen Hinata in ages. A couple days ago I called in to make an appointment to stop by for a visit, but, whoever was on the phone said she wouldn't be seeing anyone for a while."

_How strange…_

She shrugged, "She's a princess after all and she's probably swamped with her royal duties. Soon enough, Hinata will start missing us and realize all the fun she's been missing out on!"

"I guess so…" I nodded in agreement.

Right then, Ino turned to absent-minded Choji.

"You got all that, tubby?" the blonde ascertained, poking her index finger into his blubbery stomach.

He stepped back, flinching from the slight pain.

"Ouch! And yeah…but do I really have to do this? Maybe…some other time!"

"Oh no you don't!" she stopped him, taking hold of the collar of his bulky yukata.

"I will _not_ let you pass up this opportunity! March over there right now, and hand Ayame those flowers!" she commanded, pushing him toward the Ichiraku ramen stall.

"Lee, Sai, I could use a little help here!"

"This will not end well…" muttered Sai, halting his sketchwork, and joining both Ino and Lee, who was excited at the thought of Choji pursuing a "youthful romance."

Soon, Ino couldn't take his weight any longer.

"I can't do this! Choji, be a _man_, will you?"

"I-Ino, those flowers…what do they mean?" inquired Choji, struggling against the combined force of Sai and Lee, sweating like a dog.

"If you had paid any attention to what I said earlier, you wouldn't be asking the same question! You shouldn't be worried, because these yellow, red-tipped roses are strictly _friendship _flowers. She'll be flattered."

Finally his interest reached its peak, able to stand on his own two feet, instead of being forced forward by his companions.

Ino approached him once more, opening the palms of his hands.

"Take them. All you have to say is: 'Hope you're having a nice time tonight. I saw these and thought maybe you'd like them.' Is that easy enough for you?"

He nodded in determination, "Hai. Lee, Sai…you both come with me."

"I will be there for you, round one! This will be a sure fire victory, and you shall gain Ayame-san's love in no time!" Lee jumped excitedly.

Sai leaned against a pole, looking exasperated.

"Must I?"

"You _better_!" Ino urged menacingly, with a glint of a dark, thunderous storm beginning to form within her otherwise sky blue eyes.

Afraid of Ino-pig's wrath, Sai followed his two friends toward their destination, hesitant of what was next to come.

"Ino?" I asked, turning her attention away from the leftover plants she began tending to.

"Those flowers…the yellow roses, is that really what they represent?"

She grinned foxily, indicating that she intentionally chose to leave a certain amount of information behind.

"They do, mostly; but, if you want to be _real _subtle about it, the red tips signify a person's budding feelings for someone else; whether it's just infatuation, or the actual process of falling in love."

_She meddles a little too much in people's lives. Depending on how this situation turns out, this could be good for Choji. Maybe he'll thank her in the long run._

As if reading my mind, I watched her lips speak the following sentence.

"He'll thank me later. Now, you came to look at some flowers for yourself, didn't you?"

"Yeah, I did." I confirmed, following my friend towards the back.

"Unfortunately, Saku, most of them are gone. There aren't many left, I wish you had come earlier." She said, kneeling down, searching the shelves for whatever else she had.

Suddenly, Ino stood up, with an idea in her mind.

"Oh, forehead! Just realized, I've got tons more red roses back at the shop. Would you be interested in those?"

"No thanks, Ino. If that's all you have, then maybe-"

Eager to provide me with natural beauty, she interrupted.

"Come this way, maybe you can find something you like."

I did as she said and searched for something that would hopefully catch my eye.

_Too many roses! Doesn't Ino-pig have anything else?_

"Did you want flowers for a special occasion? I've got chrysanthemums-"

_No, I've seen too many of those…_

Ino opened a cardboard box, revealing more to choose from.

"Asters, bluebells, baby's breaths, hyacinths, gardenias, jasmines, junipers, larkspurs, lilies, magnolias, marigolds, mums, orchids, roses-"

After taking the time out to show me every type of flower she had available, nothing was just _right_.

"Well, someone I know is sick in the hospital. I wanted something that would really brighten up their day."

She placed a strand of blonde hair behind her petite ear.

"Saku, _everything _I've named would be _perfect_ to send to someone in the hospital. They're all bright and in clusters, that would make them feel really special. Most of them are gender neutral flowers, so it wouldn't matter if you gave them either to a guy or a girl."

I merely nodded; taking in all Ino had to say, still unable to make a decision.

"You don't like them?" she questioned, disappointment evident in her ultramarine eyes.

"No, it's not that, Ino! They're all really beauti-"

"Then _what_, Sakura?"

I could tell that by the usage of my full name, Ino was completely serious.

"I-I don't know…" I sighed tiredly.

"You don't know…" she repeated with dissatisfaction, finally standing and placing all the items she had removed from their original places and put them back where they belonged.

"Seems like you don't know a lot of things, I'm worried for you, Sakura…" she muttered while pacing east of my location, organizing a few materials.

I let her comment ring in my ears numerous times. It seemed like I worried my friends always. Did I really never know _anything_? So many things were wrong with me…

Instead of sitting idly, I carried one of the boxes in front of me and put it on a nearby shelf, shaking Ino's statement out of my head. After storing it carefully in its proper place, I noticed an elegant flower poking out of a plain, pale green vase at the very left of the shelf. Curiosity overcame me, so I decided to examine it. What a sight it was, before my spellbound emerald irises. A lutescent, trumpet-shaped structure set contrastingly against an ivory, stellate background. A truly unmatched beauty compared to the other flowers I've seen, one so impeccable and rare. It reminded me of an ablaze, flashing white star that somehow took this form on earth, as a delicate inflorescent living organism.

_I've never seen this one before…_

"**How lovely, Sakura-chan! My, I've never seen such a beautiful flower around Konoha before. It must have been imported from another country."**

My eyes failed to leave its sight. An aura, so _pure_ and so _fresh_, radiated off of it. I traced the head of my index finger over one of its snow-colored petals, and the sensation to my delight, was silky smooth.

"Sakura, what are you looking at?" came Ino's voice from behind, soon appearing next to me, gazing upon the beauty displayed before us.

"You must really like this one, ne billboard brow?"

I removed the plant from the vase, revealing its true form, adorning the thick stem with abundant leaves below it.

"It's beautiful…I've never seen this one around your shop before, Ino."

She simpered beamingly, "Well I _did_ say that my mom's been out travelling. It's called a daffodil. She visited the village hidden in the mist, wondering what species of flora they have there. They've got lush, dewy grasslands. Its loamy soil is perfect to grow daffodils. Although, I'm not sure why she came back with just one. Maybe Kaa-san wanted to bring it back for study along with Akane-san, a qualified horticulturalist she's worked with for years."

"I think…I think I really like this one, Ino." I turned to her, satisfied with my choice.

My blonde friend raised a perfectly symmetrical eyebrow queerly, "Really, forehead? Well, if you say so, then take it."

"Your mom won't mind?" I made sure.

"Yeah. It won't be a problem, Akane-san is leaving for the mist village again to bring back more. You got it at a good time!" She validated.

I began unzipping my pouch, reaching inside, "How much?"

"Free of charge." Ino affirmed.

"Are you sure, Ino?"

She nodded, "Well you're my best friend, why should you pay? And, it's only one daffodil. If you like it so much, just take it!"

Ino-pig handed me the vase while I put my pouch, carrying the limited amount of yen I had left, away.

"Arigato…" I couldn't help but say.

"No need to thank me, Saku! Just stop by more often, okay?"

"I will." I assured her, heading back to the hospital.

She stopped me momentarily, "Is it…your grandmother?"

We stared into each other's eyes, with Ino's pleading and mine uncertain of whether or not I should tell her the truth. I hated lying, I really did. My entire life, I've lived a lie. There was not a soul I could tell what really went on in my life. I knew for a fact I couldn't say it was oba-san because she was here at the festival, and Ino would be suspicious if she caught sight of her.

"No…an acquaintance I've met off and on."

Her body relaxed from its previously tensed form.

"That's very thoughtful of you, Sakura. You know I did a lot of research on daffodils. Cherry blossoms are renowned for their vibrant pink color, which is why people commonly associate it with spring. Daffodils actually bloom in early march, the true harbinger of spring. It's a symbol for rebirth and new beginnings. The white daffodil, more specifically, is a friendship flower and a representation of eternal life. It stands valiantly against the bitter cold of winter and waits for the warmth of the spring season."

_Wow…it's perfect! I hope Sasuke will like it…not that he seems to be the type to pay much attention to flowers anyway…_

"I know you don't have any other daffodils, but, are you sure it's okay to give just one?"

"I don't see anything wrong with that, Saku. The meaning behind it is beautiful. This person will really appreciate it."

We embraced each other tenderly before my departure.

"Thank you again, Ino, and I'll see you soon. Let me know how everything goes between Choji and Ayame." I winked, walking away.

"You bet! Thanks for stopping by, forehead!" Ino waved.

**~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~**

Gradually, the villagers grew smaller, and eventually, out of sight. The ebulliently lit lanterns still hung on the poles, leading people in and out of the festival. Their intense, scintillating flames danced in the shadow of the night. I walked alone, carefully observing my surroundings, growing paranoid as seconds passed. The cheers and chirpy jabber of the villagers could no longer be heard, instead, listening to the crunchiness of the crispy green leaves underneath my plodding zori sandals.

_Was it a good idea to walk alone? There's no one else around…_

"**Who said you were alone, Sakura-chan?"**

Relief washed over my unreasonably suspicious face, "Thank Kami you're always with me."

Kobato-chan's content silence indicated that she was grateful of how much I appreciated her. It was a sign, that I wasn't so alone anymore. Even during the darkest of times. I trusted her with my life. She was my sworn guardian after all.

"**Where are you headed?"**

_The hospital._

"**To see Sasuke-san?"**

_Yes. I know Shizune-san said I wasn't allowed, but, I thought maybe giving him a simple flower wouldn't hurt. He's probably asleep anyway. I can just sneak it in and go._

"**Where will you go?"**

I was just about to say home and call her a "Dobato" for asking a silly question like that, when I realized that wasn't an option right now. Oba-san would never take me back. She might even kill me if she saw my face. That's right, where would I go after tonight? I've rejuvenated completely, so remaining in the hospital was out of the question.

_I…I don't know…_

I continued on my way, putting those worrisome thoughts aside, deciding to deal with it later on. My path away from the village center, where the festival was taking place, was a quiet one. Wind chimes soon sounded while passing by the back roads of the village. An eeriness soon befell the area, one that grew chilling and unnerving as time passed. Whispers in the dark were carried over by the howling wind gusts. My ears strained to detect the content spoken by the inaudible voices. Carefully, my right foot slid over with my left one repeating the same action. Soon, my back was arranged lying flatly against the brick walls of the alleyway.

Someone was clearly here…

Nearing towards the edge of the alley, revealing a narrow road surrounded by a plethora of cherry blossom trees, was an entire neighborhood of imperial-style compounded homes appearing as if they could house families consisting of over ten members. However, their condition indicated that nobody had been here in many years. The buildings were run down and deteriorated, as shown by the broken glass windows along with the disheveled rooftops and porches. A single streetlight situated from the other end of the back alley, where I came from, allowed for dim visibility.

_It feels like I've been here before…_

"**Does _that_ sign ring a bell, Sakura-chan?"**

Kobato-chan graced me with her true form, as a dove, and flew to one of the homes, leaning her head over the roof, directing my attention to a familiar symbol.

"That's the Uchiha fan painted on that house."

I gazed around me, finding it to be omnipresent.

"It's everywhere, Kobato-chan. We must be in Uchiha territory."

She nodded, making herself comfortable on my right shoulder.

"**So this must be where the entire Uchiha clan lived before its massacre. I think Sasuke-san's home is towards the back, closest to the way into the village. That must be why you hadn't noticed this entire neighborhood before."**

"Yeah…well let's get out of here. This place is giving me the creeps."

We continued our way forward and once I mistakenly stepped onto a twig, breaking it in half, this caught the attention of something rather devious.

"Caw, caw! Caw, caw!"

_Oh no, not again!_

There stood a raven on one of the roofs, thrashing its wings and shrieking at us. Kobato-chan disappeared from thin air, hiding herself away from the hateful vermin. Instantaneously, my feet skid away and dashed forward, until it could no longer see me. The last I saw was the raven diving downwards, using its beak, pecking at a puddle of dried up blood.

"I can't stand ravens, it's like everywhere I go, they come after me!"

"**Your pure heart is what they are after. They can sense it from a mile away. Do not worry, Sakura-chan, you will always be protected."**

We journeyed ahead and heard the same whispers coming from the backyard of the last house. Sakura trees surrounded the vicinity, but instead of a colorful and glorious sight I should have witnessed, a melancholy aura filled the moonlit atmosphere. I snuck around the back of the ancient house and saw a shadow of a man, standing forlornly in front of a katana, thrust headfirst into the earth. He stepped forward, in the midst of the celestial glow, revealing his true identity.

_Hidan-san…_

"**What is he doing here?"**

"My dear friend." He started with authority.

I stood still, listening to his recitation.

"You will always be a true hero in my eyes, a valiant shinobi warrior. I will always remember you as who you were before you changed. You were a man of righteousness and honor, different from those of your clan, a clan known for their hatred and vengeance. No wonder you never fit in. Thank you for aiding us in our time of need. I have forgiven you of your wrong doings; now please do the honor of forgiving me as well. My life is now a life of redemption. The path the Akatsuki followed was not for me. I've made mistakes and have learned from them. I want to repent for my sins. Help me to understand my past and control my future. I know that you will. You will never be forgotten. Rest in peace my friend, my brother…"

And with that last sentence, Hidan-san knelt down, bowing in front of the weapon he held sacred. As he disappeared deep into the woods in the other direction, I treaded down a stone path, leading back to the village.

_Hidan-san…why was he on Uchiha territory? Whose grave was that? And what was his relation to the Akatsuki? Was he working for them? Is he to be trusted now? Maybe he's decided to turn over a new leaf. He's a wonderful man. I've never seen him look so sad…I hope whoever it is he's praying for continues to rest in peace…_

"**It's like we see him everywhere, Sakura-chan. It bothers me how I know I've seen him before, but his name is unfamiliar…"**

_Maybe you're experiencing a type of déjà vu, Kobato-chan. He might look a lot like someone you've seen once before. Chill, it isn't anything to be worried about._

"**It's possible…"**

And finally, the Konoha hospital came into view. I entered through the revolving glass doors and greeted the drained secretary resting her blonde head on the reception desk, indicating her currently blasé disposition, with a snot bubble forming from her right nostril.

"**How gross! You should pop it with a fork or something before someone sees her looking so unbecoming!"**

_DOBATO, she can't help it!_

A light chuckle escaped my quivering lips, trying to suppress full-blown laughter from Kobato-chan's immature observation. My voice echoed throughout the empty lobby, travelling to her flaccid ears. The woman jerked her head off her workspace and squinted her sea-green eyes, getting a better look at me.

"Can I help you, miss?" she offered kindly, removing any sign of exhaustion with a good rubbing of her eyes.

I approached her desk casually, "I actually came to drop off these flowers for someone, if you don't mind."

"Sure, can I take a name?"

"Uchiha Sasuke." I answered her query in one breath.

Her hospitable eyes soon became calculating and cold, gazing upon my honest countenance with suspicion.

"You sure you've got the right person?"

You could certainly not miss the puzzled look on my face.

"Yes, why wouldn't I?" I responded politely.

"Well…it's just that Sasuke-san has been here for a while now, and, nobody but Hatake Kakashi-san has come to visit him. I'm sure he'll be delighted to see a fresh face in the room."

_Not exactly sure how "delighted" he'll be seeing me, but, I can give it a try._

She flipped through a bulky handbook, pages organized in a binder, and searched for his room number.

"Uchiha-san is on the 14th floor, room number 20." The woman said effortlessly, handing me a sticky note with the appropriate information written on it in case I forgot.

"Arigato." I thanked her, and continued onwards.

"**Seems like everyone's enjoying the festival tonight."**

And Kobato-chan was right. The halls were mostly empty, completely serene and peaceful. The fourteenth floor was the highest of all the floors here. So the elevator was my only option available, if I wanted to get there quickly. The mechanical double doors opened, I punched in floor I desired to be on, and waited momentarily until I was finally transported there. The halls on every floor appeared the same. White washed walls, gray tinted tile floors, nothing particularly extraordinary or exciting about the place. One of the nurses, who looked to be about middle-aged, smiled cordially at me, stopping by the front desk on this floor to chat with one of the computer technicians.

Glancing briefly at the sticky note to remind myself of my destination, I kept my eyes locked on each door I passed by, reading the numbers written on each of them.

_18…19…20! Finally, I'm here!"_

Without hesitation, I turned the doorknob and walked in. The room had one night light, proving it difficult to actually see around me. From the moonlight cascading through the spacious windows, allowing me to get a glimpse of Sasuke's resting form. His heavy breathing signaled that he was in a deep stupor. Nimbly I tip-toed across the room, placing the vase-encased daffodil on the windowsill, which now glowed ethereally from the moon's dazzling effulgence.

To my far left were a short flight of stairs. I pondered where they led since the floor I was currently on was in fact the highest. Once I reached the top, a cool sensation finally hit me. The air was crisp and nippy, caused by the strong gale, blowing my hair in all directions. I lifted my body upward and sat on a completely flat surface, overlooking the rest of the village, covered by the shining brilliance of the moon itself. Cherry blossoms fell gracefully and landed on the roof, eventually becoming a true spring paradise.

_Just look…so many of them are falling…_

"**Did you know that within the minds of those who live in Konohagakure, a fallen cherry blossom flower holds many emotional connections?"**

_Really? I had no idea._

"**Yes, it is believed that each of the fallen cherry blossoms were the souls of the fallen shinobi warriors who lost his or her life in battle."**

My mind flew back to Hidan-san, speaking to his deceased comrade while the cherry blossom petals floated around him.

_May Kami-sama continue to allow all their souls to rest in peace…_I prayed, staring at the blossoms falling from the tenebrous skies.

After moments of golden silence was a loud "THUD" coming from inside down below. Immediately, I rushed down the steps and found Sasuke struggling to pick himself up from off the floor.

"Kuso…" he muttered irately.

I searched my mind for an answer on how to approach this situation. The easy answer was to rush to Sasuke's aid, but, he wasn't too fond of being treated like a "weakling", as he would certainly put it. My feet stayed planted, watching his strained movements. Grabbing hold of the bedstead proved useless, seeing Sasuke fall flat on his rear end once more.

_Enough with the humiliation, I should probably be helping him…_

Once I stepped closer into the moonlight, it was then when the Uchiha sensed my presence.

"Whose there?" he demanded with suspicion, shuffling away from my footsteps.

"If it's you nurse Keiko, just leave me the hell alone!"

"S-Sasuke?" I responded meekly.

I watched his ears perk up at the sound, "…What…?"

"Let me help you…" I murmured softly, taking hold of his right arm.

He did not refuse my help, but acted passively. Once Sasuke was able to stand on his own two feet, he wobbled over to the hospital bed for support.

"Get out." He ordered, finally sitting atop of it, his bangs concealing his obsidian eyes.

"You don't recognize my voice, Sasuke? It's me, Sakura…Haruno Sakura…" I reminded him.

Sasuke continued his pondering, choosing to remain quiet. I looked to the windowsill and brought him the daffodil I acquired from the Yamaka flower shop.

"I heard about what happened, and I'm so sorry to hear about that. So I thought maybe you could use a little life in this room."

"…What is it…" Sasuke interrogated, seemingly unaware of what was right in front of his face.

My eyes blinked, observing the daffodil with interest, brushing it onto his nose accidentally.

"You don't see? Look how beautiful this daffodil is! Take a look at-"

He clenched his fists and replied abruptly, "Maybe if I could _see_, I'd know what it was _goddamn you_!"

And before I could act quickly, Sasuke blindly slapped the vase away from him, sending it crashing onto the floor. The container shattered into myriads of glass pieces, taking the innocent plant down with it. I looked at the damage, horrified, recovering the spill while Sasuke panted harshly. Carefully I gathered each piece, making sure not to cut myself in the process and threw it away in a nearby trash bin. The flower was placed onto his side table, unsure of what else to do with it.

Finally, I turned my attention back to the frustrated Sasuke.

"Gomen nasai…that was really stupid of me-"

"_Dobato_…" he hissed, currently angry with my foolishness.

I continued, trying to suppress my rage with his brash behavior.

"If you don't mind me asking…how…how do I look to you right now?"

Sasuke raised his head, with his hair placed behind his ears, staring at me in an askew manner.

"Blurry…I just see pink…I can't make out the features of your face…" he observed as best as he could, head hanging low once more.

The Uchiha's condition must have been really failing, since I was right in front of him. Maybe Sasuke had a right to be angry and frustrated. This was a completely life altering experience he was going through, I had to be patient with him.

"I'm…so sorry…"

The ebony-haired man laughed bitterly, "Whatever happened…happened. There's nothing I can do to change the outcome of this situation."

Sasuke's overwhelming cynicism was highly disturbing. I couldn't imagine a life without sight, especially since there was no one to support him.

_He can't possibly think that…can he?_

"**Sasuke-san is entirely right. His condition seems irreversible. I wouldn't call his views cynical, rather, more realistic…"**

_No more of this! He needs to get better._

Tears threatened to fall from my saddened emerald eyes, but instead, I decided to make light of the situation.

"It's really stuffy in here. I couldn't imagine being in this room all day, maybe we should go outside and sit atop the roof. That will help you."

Sasuke said nothing, with his legs still hanging over his bedside, looking completely weary and exhausted.

"The cherry blossoms are falling outside. Maybe instead of seeing all black, you could use a little pink for a change."

Interestingly enough at the mention of the cherry blossoms, Sasuke began placing his bare feet onto the ground, grunting in reaction to the pain jolting inside his body. I offered him help, and surprisingly, he took it but distanced himself on our way up. Thankfully the moonlight lit Sasuke's path upward, allowing it to be an easier transition on the rooftop. **(A/N: Play the third soundtrack now!) **We both sat cross-legged, respecting each other's space and relished the serene atmosphere. Watching the petals fall wherever they pleased, sparked a wondrous curiosity inside of me.

"Ano…have you ever attended a cherry blossom festival before?"

I turned my head, facing Sasuke. His smooth, gelled back hair covered by specks of pink color. Might I say, it really _did _suit him.

"Once…" he whispered mysteriously.

"Do you like the spring season?" I inquired, expecting an elaborate answer this time from the man.

"Too much color…" he criticized, rubbing his throbbing head.

_I'm assuming winter is more of Sasuke's style?_

This whole time I couldn't help but notice Sasuke holding up an invisible guard around himself. Maybe that was just his true nature. That girl was right, he seems distrustful of me. Maybe I shouldn't trust him either. The silence was much too thick and overbearing for me to handle. I wanted to talk; I wanted to know what was on his mind and understand what he was going through. I wanted for him to get better.

The cherry blossoms caught my attention again, one landing on my head. I removed it and gazed upon the flower's heavenly beauty.

"Beautiful…" I whispered inaudibly.

"You see beauty…I see pain." Sasuke spoke aloud, eyes staring aimlessly ahead.

"**The souls of the deceased, _that's_ what Sasuke-san is referring to…"**

"I'd always avoid this festival since it reminded of my dead parents."

The morbidity of Sasuke's statement was truly baffling. I couldn't help but pity for this man.

The onyx-eyed youth grasped the surface indignantly, "They died during this season…all that bloodshed…those sick bastards…celebrating _death_."

My eyes grew wide with shock.

_W-What is he saying? That's not the point of this occasion at all!_

"Maybe it's a good thing I will soon go blind. It's a sick and twisted world out there, and I was taught that so young…so long ago. Everyone…all of them…they're all damned bastards…I hate them all…"

I couldn't discern whether or not Sasuke was speaking to me or to himself. All I could do was stay here and listen. His soul was indeed damaged. It needed to be healed; perhaps time was the only way. What if Sasuke was destined to remain embittered forever? If there was a way to recover his sight, maybe I could show Sasuke not to be so spiteful of this world. Maybe he's just a lost soul wanting to be helped, and if Kami-sama allows it, I can do just that.

Just then, a loud crackling sound could be heard within ear shot. Sasuke and I turned towards the source of the sound, realizing the spark of color that came along with it.

"Sounds like firearms…" Sasuke guessed indifferently.

_No…_

I stood up briefly, seeing what the entire ruckus was about.

"Fireworks!" I cheered, positioning myself to get a better view.

_And I thought I was actually going to miss the display! Thank Kami!_

What a bright, exciting, and intensely hued display it was; dazzling every audience with its exotic charm. They reminded me so much of man made stars, purposely blessing the night sky with its magical properties. The combination of the bursts of fire flowers and falling cherry blossoms was a truly spectacular and breathtaking sight.

Finally, I glanced at Sasuke's lifeless form, unaware of the magnificence illustrated before him.

_If only he could see it…_

"Sasuke?" I called his name, hoping he'd be able to hear my voice over the crackling fire show.

He signaled to me with a simple nod.

"What do you see?"

"White flashes…"

"No color?" I asked him, disappointed.

Sasuke's silence proved me right.

Suddenly my mind rolled back to the mother and son whose conversation I overheard while on my way into the festival.

"**Hurry and make a wish before the show is over!" **Kobato repeated for me.

Before listening to my counterpart, I gazed upon the Uchiha's dispassionate countenance once more.

"Sasuke."

He turned my way again.

"Maybe you should…make a wish."

The man merely scoffed, thinking of my idea as childish.

"Hn…and _why_ would I do that?"

"To see if it comes true, of course."

"Tch. Wishes are for the feeble-minded who believe in juvenile fairytales, I'm not one of them."

I cocked my head to the side, "You've never wished for anything before?"

"Can't say that I have…" he uttered lowly.

"Not once?"

The clear gritting of Sasuke's teeth indicated his impatience with my incessant questioning.

"Maybe at some point in my life when I had some feelings left for this God forsaken place…but not now…"

_What is that supposed to mean?_

"Not a single part of you still yearns for that wish to come true?" I pushed.

Sasuke bared his teeth, "Will you _shut up_?"

"Sorry…" I apologized, thankful that he couldn't see the hurt within my jade eyes. Sasuke could be quite cruel when he wanted to be.

Soon, tiredness overcame me and I wanted nothing more than to crawl into a cozy bed. It was my time to leave for the night. Eventually, I stood up and headed towards the hidden stairwell. Sasuke looked completely dozed off as well, with his eyes shut peacefully. I didn't want to be rude and just leave him up here in this condition. Slowly, I approached the resting Uchiha.

"Sasuke, I'm ready to leave if you would like to come down as well."

He cracked an eye open, demonstrating that I had his attention and allowed me to pull him up and support him back to his room. He preferred to stand and held the top of the side table, sliding his arm away from me.

"Will you be okay by yourself?" I asked concernedly.

"I'm _fine_." He snapped, irritation evident in his reply.

With that final answer as my cue to leave, I headed for the doorway, facing Sasuke once more.

"Get better soon, Sasuke." I wished him well, smiling serenely at his halfway lit face, courtesy of the luminescent moon.

He stood frozen in place, pensive as ever.

I turned the doorknob and proceeded to shut it, once out in the hallway, only to hear Sasuke catch my attention.

"Sakura."

My gaze was now directed towards his dark form, staring unknowingly into my inquisitive emerald irises.

"Arigato." He whispered, inattentively grasping the stem of the daffodil I gave to him.

Although he couldn't see me, I bowed respectfully and shut the door behind me, taking the elevator to the lobby. Once the secretary caught sight of me walking her way, she affably greeted me.

"How was the visit?"

I nodded, not realizing my smile widening thinking back on it.

"It was nice…"

An exhausted yawn escaped my lips.

"Do you mind if I take a seat here?" I pointed to the row of comfy looking chairs towards the front.

"Not at all, please go ahead." She assured me, placing a pile of papers in a drawer.

Drowsily, I plopped myself on a coach and found myself staring out the window, witnessing the remainder of the colorful array of fireworks.

_I wish for everyone to find happiness someday…_ I wished finally, watching the last of the fireworks disappear, ending the show.

**~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~**

Normally I've always been a deep sleeper, but who could manage to sleep with this commotion? The main lobby maybe wasn't the best choice to do this. The festival was over, and people returned to their daily routines. For this fine hospital staff, that includes rushing their patients in and out of the emergency rooms and yelling at each other around seven thirty in the morning. My head sprung forward, startled by the noise. Especially hearing the sound of Hyuuga Hiashi sprinting inside, demanding the receptionist that he see Tsunade-san right away.

_Hyuuga-sama! What's he doing here? The hokage's going to give him an earful right now since he missed that meeting! She was so upset!_

I sat up in my chair, watching the woman at the front desk request Lady Tsunade's presence immediately.

The elevator doors opened after five minutes, revealing the overworked woman, glaring at the sight of the man who stood before her.

"Hyuuga Hiashi…" she addressed with suspicion, an inner fire evident within her amber eyes, rethinking his absence at the meeting.

The clan leader's pleading eyes caught everyone's attention.

"Please, you have to help me!"

"And why should I help _you_?" she crossed her arms over her chest, vexed by his unreliability.

Hiashi-saama placed his hands in front, shielding himself, hoping the woman wouldn't unleash her infamous wrath upon him.

"Look I know our relationship is on the rocks, and the chance you gave me to help improve it, failed because I didn't show up to the meeting. I promise you, Tsunade-san, there was a perfectly legitimate reason for my absence."

"And that would be…?" her expression unreadable.

The Hyuuga bit his lip nervously, eyes flashing with different emotions, trying to keep himself in check.

"My daughter…Hinata-chan…"

I stood up at the mention of her name. Worry and fear conquered my once relaxed form.

The hokage's arms dropped to her sides, growing interested in what he had to say next. Hyuuga Hiashi-saama could no longer make eye contact with the blonde woman, his irises hidden by the shadow of his hairline.

"She's missing…"

**~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~**

**Author's Note: ** . . . . Thank Goodness I'm done with it! Hope you guys all really liked it, I made it nice and long (even though I really didn't intend for it to be, but there was so much I need to fit in). Please tell me your thoughts! Hopefully there will be A LOT more reviews on this one, I worked so hard! ALL OF YOU tell me what you think! Guess I could ask some follow up questions. Who do you like better: Ayame and Kakashi or Ayame and Choji? Will Choji ever get the courage to give her those flowers? What will her reaction be? Why was Matsuri crying? Who was her/is her love interest in this fic? Can you take a wild guess? Whose grave was Hidan-san at? What was his relationship to this person? And about Ino's symbolic analysis of the daffodil, she got _most _of it. There are some important details she's missing, and it wasn't intentional. She just didn't know! Shame on you, Ino! I'm not sure if I should say it in here, because it might spoil some things. If you are DYING to find out, just message me and I will tell you. It concerns the relationship between Sasuke and Sakura. Speaking of which, what did you think of their scene together? I had to get a SasuSaku moment in there, I didn't want to keep you all waiting, you've been so good! That's why this chappie is so long, I had to stick it in there! And the big cliffhanger, Hinata's disappearance! Where could she have gone? Any guesses? Why'd she leave? So many questions! Post your theories in your reviews please, I would really appreciate it! I'm taking a week long break from this story; my brain is totally fried from producing all these ideas! The next update should come out within the next few weeks or so! Until then…

TOOTLES,

3,

~Sweetness

PS: Check out my profile for Sasuke Uchiha's theme song for this story. I thought it was perfect. I've written up a little explanation on my profile, saying why I think so. Tell me what you think about it. More soundtracks will be posted eventually, when I find the right ones! Hope you read the appropriate scenes with the appropriate soundtracks on my profile as well! Catch you all later!


	19. Author's Note! Please Read!

**Author's Note: **Hey everyone! Hope you are all well. So it's been a while but I just wanted to let you guys know about my blog. The second entry is now up! So go and take a look! Go on my profile and click on the link provided. Play the soundtracks! I'd certainly love to hear from all of you. Also, there is SO MUCH STUDYING IN MEDICAL SCHOOL! Yeesh! Not that I underestimated it or anything, but, this just means I will not be able to update _Secret of the Heart _until winter break. Not too much longer! December is right around the corner! You guys will all get your hands on a suspenseful, juicy chapter soon!

Tootles and hope you enjoy my blog!

Sweetness


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